A Facebook advert published by Purplebricks claiming to have sold over 5,000 properties in the Argyll and Bute area in the West of Scotland has been modified following a complaint from a rival agent.

The paid-for advert was first published in January featuring an embedded video with text that said: “Let’s get you sold in and around Argyll and Bute…like this one…that one…and…5212 other sellers in around Argyll and Bute”.

It was part of the estate agency’s national ‘Let’s Get You Sold’ campaign launched with the help of TV personality Mo Gilligan.

This video featured images of two different properties that Purplebricks claimed to have sold, which also included the repeated claim that the company had sold ‘5212’ homes in the area.

A complainant, who is believed to be a rival agent in the area, challenged whether the ‘5212 homes sold’ claim could be substantiated and that if not, it was likely to be misleading.

The complaint was made to the Advertising Standards Authority which challenged Purplebricks to back-up the claim which, subsequently, was removed from the Facebook ad and the matter closed on an informal basis without having to be progressed to a full adjudication.

Misleading

Any advertiser publishing claims in this way must, under the ASA’s CAP code must not be ‘materially misleading’ and that “before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove claims that consumers are likely to regard as objective and that are capable of objective substantiation”. The ASA may regard claims as misleading in the absence of adequate substantiation.

This is the first time that Purplebricks has been reported to the ASA since March 2021, on that occasion for making misleading competitor claims.