A competition ran by Sony Computer Entertainment UK and GAME, giving PlayStation fans the chance to buy a PS4 Limited Edition console, has been deemed as unfair by advertising watchdog, ASA.
Each day Sony has been tweeting a clue to fans which they have to correctly answer in order to be in with a chance to purchase a PS4 Limited Edition. The first 100 users with the correct answer were then given the URL to a submission form to claim their console.
It’s now been discovered that the URL was not unique to individual winners, who have then been either sharing that URL with their friends, or purchasing more than one console — presumably just supplying a different name and address.
The Guardian reports that “five consumers had been able to purchase two consoles a piece during the promotion.”
ASA received six complaints and after further investigation agreed that the competition had not been administered fairly and that Sony were in breach of advertising rules.
The ruling reads: “Although processes had been put in place to try to prevent consumers from purchasing more than one console, at least five consumers had been able to do so, against the promotion’s terms and conditions.
“We also understood that a link to the opportunity to purchase the console could be shared, which meant that neither Sony nor Game could tell whether consumers had accessed the link after having solved the clue, or having been sent the link. We considered that meant entrants who had attempted to enter by solving the clue were likely to have been disadvantaged and therefore unnecessarily disappointed.”
Sony has responded on the official ASA website.
"Sony said measures were put in place once it was discovered that people were using computer programs to have early access to the Game URL. Changes were made to ensure consumers couldn’t access the site early, and a number of consumers were disqualified when it was discovered they had found a way to access the site before the clue had gone live."
It looks like it will just be a slap on the wrists for Sony, but it’ll certainly have ASA’s eyes all over them for future competitions.