With Cyber Week winding down, Amazon said Thursday it’s beginning a new round of promotions Sunday when it kicks off “12 Days of Deals.” Hundreds of new deals in different categories will break each day through Dec. 13. PC deals are slated for Wednesday, gaming products on Monday, “baby, pets & camera” for Dec. 8 and electronics on Dec. 10, Amazon said. Other Amazon promotions over the holiday season: Customers can enter a giveaway to win a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe from Saturday to Dec. 13; they can get $12 off their first Amazon Restaurants order by making a purchase during deals days; Prime members get exclusive access to early showings of Aquaman Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. local time, a week before its nationwide release; and Snapchat users in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York can unlock special offers during deals days for one day Dec. 8-11, while supplies last.
Charter Communications will drop a commercial challenged by DirecTV that seems to indicate the DBS operator has no sports channels or programming, the National Advertising Division said Tuesday. However, NAD said there was sufficient evidence to back another challenged Charter commercial about $99 charges for technicians sent to homes to resolve DirecTV service issues. Charter didn't comment. The Better Business Bureau's NAD separately said Wednesday that a Comcast-challenged AT&T ad for DirecTV didn't convey misleading disparaging messages "that cable service providers and their customers are associated with the occult."
Disney plans to use Google Ad Manager as its core advertising tech platform for its digital video and display business, Google blogged Tuesday. It said the deal opens the door to Disney more easily delivering video ads on the web, via apps, at live events and streaming through smart TVs.
Comcast announced Thursday security camera features to thwart porch piracy of holiday packages. Customers can filter motion-triggered activity by people or vehicles. Customers who buy the $199 Xfinity indoor/outdoor camera and add 24/7 video recording ($9.95 per month) have up to 10 days to view video history, Comcast said. With the company's Universal Pictures’ The Grinch, Comcast engineers added “Easter egg” voice commands allowing subscribers to access still images from their security camera on TV or turn smart lights green. The Grinch character in an Xfinity ad attempts to steal packages from an Infinity Home household but is caught on camera after setting off window sensors.
Hisense and TCL 43-inch smart TVs with Roku media streaming and HDR built in led the promotional pricing in a Best Buy email Friday pitching $279 4K TVs. The Hisense TV had a 4.5 rating out of five from 81 buyers, and the TCL model rated 4.5 from 373 buyers. Both were discounted by $20.
The Council of Better Business Bureaus' National Advertising Division will refer to the FTC for “further review” LG’s ad claims that its OLED TVs render images of “perfect black” and “infinite contrast,” said the ad industry’s self-regulatory agency Friday. LG said in April it would appeal to the National Advertising Review Board NAD’s recommendations that it discontinue the claims (see 1804190043), but instead asked NAD to reopen the case, citing “new evidence” the claims are accurate, said NAD. After NAD denied the request, LG refused to discontinue the claims, prompting the agency to refer the matter to the FTC under “policies and procedures governing self-regulation,” it said. LG's ad claims "are accurate, and our additional evidence is very strong," emailed the company Friday. "LG will continue to make truthful claims in the marketplace." It referred us to a citation in NAD rules that a recommendation to discontinue a claim “is not a finding of wrongdoing, and an advertiser's voluntary discontinuance or modification of claims should not be construed as an admission of impropriety.”
Amazon Echo owners can get three free months of SiriusXM by subscribing to a new SiriusXM Premier Streaming or All Access subscription, the companies said Thursday, the first phase of a marketing agreement. SiriusXM All Access ($20.99 per month) offers all 150 channels available on the satellite service plus streaming via app; Premier Streaming ($15.99) offers more than 200 channels on demand and SiriusXM Video. New customers opting into the offer will get a free Echo Dot with a six-month service commitment. It's part of Sirius’ “Bring Us Home” campaign to expand penetration beyond cars. Existing SiriusXM subscribers who upgrade from SiriusXM Select to the All Access package can get an Echo Dot.
The FBI has requested Association of National Advertisers cooperation in the bureau's criminal investigation of ad agencies reportedly getting refunds they didn't pass on to advertisers, ANA CEO Robert Liodice wrote members. “Federal law enforcement often needs assistance in identifying potential victims, witnesses, and evidence.” Wednesday's letter encourages members that “may have been defrauded” to retain counsel and audit for “indications of fraud.” The “opening of a federal criminal investigation is a significant event to the industry and to ANA members,” he said. Sinclair, Gray Television, Tribune and other large broadcasters are the targets of separate lawsuits alleging ad price collusion. Those lawsuits cite reports of DOJ's unrelated investigation (see 1810050041). We earlier incorrectly reported that the investigation ANA requested members' cooperation with was related to DOJ's investigation.
Comcast should “discontinue” claiming in broadcast ads that DirecTV is unreliable in bad weather, recommended the National Advertising Division. The recommendation results from a DirecTV challenge of a Comcast ad that shows a DirecTV antenna being struck by lightning and mentions weather can cause satellite signals to pixelate. DirecTV said the commercial doesn't explicitly state service interruptions from severe weather are typical, but "the advertisement strongly implies it,” the group said. Comcast argued the ad was similar to other Comcast commercials that NAD found to be substantiated. NAD said Comcast should “avoid conveying the message” that the satellite provider offers no free shows or “movies on the go,” but rejected a DirecTV allegation Comcast made false claims about the number of free shows and to-go movies in its introductory package. DirecTV is appealing the latter ruling, and Comcast is appealing the rulings against it.
Apple launched an Apple Pay donation program to support national parks. The company is donating $1 to the National Park Foundation for every purchase made Aug. 24-31 with Apple Pay at company-branded stores, on apple.com or via the Apple Store app in the U.S., it said.