Re: alfa-digest V8 #562

[Nicky Avery <nicky@domain.elided>]

> Strictly speaking it is not against the law, but in practice a direct
> comparison with a competitor's product is rarely done.
>


Not quite so rare maybe, Charley. A number of auto companies engage in
comparative advertising. The usual format is a matrix with a list of
features. The advertiser's car has them all or all except one checked
off and the others have only some checked off (amazing). Often there is
a price comparison on the bottom line showing how the advertiser's car
has all those must-have features as standard while you pay $'000s for
them on the other cars.

There was for a long time a billboard war going on between Oracle and a
competitor on Hwy 101 south of San Francisco in which the two comapnies
portrayed each other as dinosaurs and chumps.

Your point about the dangers of mentioning the other brand is, however,
well made. Curiously, many US consumers appear to think that badmouthing
the other guy (unless he's a politician) is not quite decent and so an
aggressive ad can backfire. Also, there's always the danger of getting sued.

Nicky

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