Dyson fan advert taken off air

A TV ad for the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool Fan, seen in April 2019, featured a voice-over that stated, “Pollutants can build up indoors. Gases, allergens and particles. So Dyson’s purifying fan heaters use sensors to detect them, capturing them inside sealed HEPA and carbon filters to clean the air. Then project 290 litres per second to cool you or heat your whole room with purified air”.

The ad showed a family in an open-plan flat, with a fan set at a short distance away from the end of the kitchen counter. The fan was shown from several different angles, straight on, from the side and from above. There was no cord visible in these shots, and there was no electrical outlet visible in the wall behind the fan.

The fan was shown rotating and projecting air around the perimeter of the kitchen, living and dining area. The following shot showed the fan in a different location on a light-coloured floor with a thin grey line leading into its base. Parallel to the fan on the other side of the screen was the end of a grey sofa with a grey carpet in front of it.

The complainant challenged whether the ad misleadingly implied that the fan was cordless.

Dyson Ltd said that the product was clearly shown in the ad as having a cord, which was distinguishable from both the floor and the rug depicted on the opposite of the image. They did not believe there was any reasonable prospect of the average consumer being misled into thinking the product was cordless.

The ASA said the ad must not be broadcast again in the form complained about. They told Dyson Ltd not to imply that their fans were cordless if that was not the case.