DirecTV Told to Yank Ads Featuring Rob Lowe After Comcast ComplaintsNational Advertising Division wa...

1. DirecTV Ads Featuring Rob Lowe Yanked After Comcast
Complaints
DirecTV Told to Yank Ads Featuring Rob Lowe After Comcast Complaints
National Advertising Division wants satellite provider to cut a number of claims -- and the
commercial's tagline
(Updated with comment from DirecTV on April 7 at 7.40 p.m. PT)
Don't be like DirecTV, the Better Business Bureau's National Advertising Division (NAD) says.
The watchdog group has recommended that DirecTV discontinue its popular Rob Lowe ads, which
feature the handsome actor taking on what the commercial group called "one of several odd or
awkward alter-ego characters." The ads that always end with Lowe's spoken tagline, "Don't be like
this me -- Get rid of cable and upgrade to DirecTV," may not be long for your small screen, thanks to
a complaint filed by cable provider Comcast Corporation.
The NAD found that several of the ad campaign's claims could not be substantiated, or were even
flat-out unfair.
"While humor can be an effective and creative way for advertisers to highlight the differences
between their products and their competitor's, humor and hyperbole do not relieve an advertiser of
the obligation to support messages that their advertisements might reasonably convey -- especially if
the advertising disparages a competitor's product," the NAD said on Tuesday.
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30' Film About It
The NAD didn't like the signal reliability claims versus cable that are made in the "Creepy Rob
Lowe" commercial, the shorter comparative customer service wait time suggested in the "Painfully
Awkward Rob Lowe" spot, and the better picture and sound quality implications drawn in the "Far
Less Attractive Rob Lowe" ad.
The group concluded: "Given the absence in the record of supporting evidence, NAD recommended
the advertiser discontinue the claims."
However, "the Rob Lowe campaign was always scheduled to end at the end of Q1," Jon Gieselman,
SVP, Marketing at DirecTV said in a statement to TheWrap. "We wanted to launch our new
campaign with Hannah Davis in the Final Four [NCAA basketball championship]. We always reserve
the right to bring back the Rob Lowe campaign, either in its current form or with new spots, it has
been extremely successful for the brand."
In its complaint, NAD also felt that the "Scrawny Arms Rob Lowe" commercial conveyed an
unsupported message that DirecTV's sports programming was better than cable's. Other issues
included the "superiority message" of Lowe's aforementioned closing phrase, as well as DirecTV's
"rated No. 1 claim" and another that states it has been "ranked higher than cable for over 10 years."

2. Finally, the NAD recommended that the satellite provider "either discontinue the price claim
featured in the 'Scrawny Arms Rob Lowe' commercial or modify it to reflect the price of a package
that included the sports programming featured in the commercial."
Also Read: DirecTV Q4 Earnings Top Expectations on US Subscriber Revenue Growth
In its prior response, DirecTV stated that it "continues to believe that the various Rob Lowe
advertisements are so outlandish and exaggerated that no reasonable consumer would believe that
the statements being made by the alter-ego characters are comparative or need to be substantiated."
Further, the company said, DirecTV disagrees with NAD's findings with respect to its ranking claims,
picture quality claims and sports programming claims.
DirecTV plans to appeal, the satellite provider promised.
Watch an example of the Lowe DirecTV spots in question:
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Rob Lowe Is 'Killing Kennedy': 10 Other Actors Who Played JFK (Photos)

3. Cliff
Robertson, "PT 109" (1963): Oscar-winner Robertson ("Charly" and "Spider-Man" 1 and 2) portrayed
JFK during his military years as a U.S. Navy officer in command of Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109
touring the waters of the Pacific amidst World War II. William Devane, "The Missiles of October"
(1974): Devane ("Knots Landing," "24") portrayed JFK in this made-for-TV offering, which depicted
the drama in the 1962 White House while the President's administration decided the best course of
action during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Stephen Collins, "A Woman Named Jackie" (1991): Long
before his stint as Rev. Eric Camden on "7th Heaven" (1996-2007), and even before he beguiled a
young Keri Russell in "The Babysitter's Seduction," the actor played Kennedy. Collins did so opposite
Roma Downey as Jackie Kennedy in the TV miniseries that focused on the FLOTUS. Patrick
Dempsey, "JFK: Reckless Youth" (1993): Believe it or not, Dempsey had other roles before he
became McDreamy on "Grey's Anatomy." This includes his performance as America's dreamiest
Commander-in-Chief during his early years before the presidency in this two-part TV miniseries,
which aired on ABC. Jed Gillin, "Forrest Gump" (1994): Audiences didn't see the actor in Robert
Zemeckis' Oscar-winning drama, but they did hear his voice when Gump (Tom Hanks) met the
president at the White House after drinking 15 bottles of Dr Pepper. The picture features Gillin on
film before the John F. Kennedy's head was superimposed. Tim Matheson, "Jackie Bouvier Kennedy
Onassis" (2000): The "Animal House" star played Kennedy in the TV movie starring Joanne Whalley
as his First Lady, a woman of many names and facets, as the title implies. Bruce Greenwood,
"Thirteen Days" (2000): This Cuban Missile Crisis dramaalso starred Kevin Costner as Kenny
O'Donnell, a top aide to JFK and the movie's protagonist. Brett Stimely, "Watchmen" (2009): The
actor makes a quick appearance as Kennedy when the White House extends its thanks to Dr.
Manhattan (Billy Crudup) for quickly ending the Vietnam War in Zack Snyder's superhero movie.
Stimely also made brief appearances as the same president in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" and
"Parkland." Greg Kinnear, "The Kennedys" (2011): Kinnear played JFK opposite Katie Holmes as
Jackie Kennedy and Barry Pepper as Bobby Kennedy on the eight-episode miniseries that aired on
Reelz Channel. The piece went on to win four Primetime Emmys. James Marsden, "The Butler"
(2013): The "X-Men" actor played one of the many powerful Commander-in-Chiefs in Lee Daniels'
civil-rights movement drama. The film centered on a White House butler who served eight
presidents over the course of his career. Previous; Next1 of 12

4. Rob Lowe takes a dramatic turn as President John F. Kennedy in the National Geographic Channel's
"Killing Kennedy," which airs Sunday, Nov. 10 at 8/7c. The made for TV movie spans from Kennedy's
presidential candidacy to his assassination in 1963. The "Parks and Recreation" star is also joining
dozens of other thespians who have played [...]
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