Eircom Phonewatch and their Scaremongering Adverts

**Lionel Ritchie** · 27/07/2007, 12:56 PM

Listening to the newest Eircom Phonewatch radio advert which claims 70% of burglaries happen while the occupants are in the house (no source quoted for their statistics) I got a bit annoyed at what strikes me as blatant scaremongering.

These stats from the CSO would seem to confirm that none of us have ever been less likely to be burgled much less be a victim of an aggrivated attack in our home by a burglar. I know that's of scant comfort to those dwindling numbers who undergo the trauma involved but I really think eircom should be made back it up or pack it up.

It strikes me that this ad and eircoms phonewatch ads in general are about creating a market-base through fear and then satiating that fear with their monitored alarm -which incidently retails at approximately �1200 p.a. for the basic package exclusive of call out charges. For myself -frankly I think it'd be cheaper to get burgled ever couple of years. For an auld doll living on her own who maybe has little chance of coming up with that sort of cash it's tantamount to harrasment with menace.

I'm seriously considering a complaint to the Advertising Standards watchdog and any help with stats etc would be greatly appreciated. I'm not looking to cherry pick stats the way eircom appear to either. An informed overview is all I'm trying to assemble.

**sonofstan** · 27/07/2007, 1:54 PM

http://www.phonewatch.ie/burglary_report/

these are their own figures - none of the claims are backed up with anything other than a graph.

**jebus** · 27/07/2007, 1:59 PM

Hunter Thompson was right in saying that capitalism breeds off of instilling fear in the general public. Everyone does it, from the anti-aging cream, to the full page adverts about hair loss and how horrible it is, to football teams saying they won't be able to compete with the top teams anymore if their fans don't pull their fingers out*. It's a shame that companies prey on people in this manner, but while we keep buying products, they'll keep feeding us ****e

Remember Ferguson saying a couple of years ago that United fans weren't buying the new jersey anymore, and that they need the merchandise money to compete at the top of European football?

**dahamsta** · 27/07/2007, 4:09 PM

Unfortunately the only regulatory body in this area is industry run and they never do more than a slap on the list, but at least you'll be able to stop the ad running if it is in fact dishonest. If it hasn't already completed it's run by then of course.

http://www.asai.ie/

adam

**Jerry The Saint** · 27/07/2007, 4:39 PM

Tuesday 14th November: Burglaries in Ireland have increased by 26% in the twelve months between June 2005 and June 2006, according to the latest figures published in the 2006 eircom PhoneWatch Burglary Report*.
...
*Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform Headline Crime statistics indicate that 26,270 burglaries were reported during the period of June 2005 and May 2006. This represents a 8% increase on 2004/2005 figures for the same period.

What am I missing here, am I reading it wrong

**Dodge** · 27/07/2007, 10:49 PM

The other 18% obviously happened in June 06

**KevB76** · 28/07/2007, 7:07 PM

If my memory serves correctly, werent they forced to withdraw an advert of similar tone two or three years ago due to complaints from members of the public ?

**Mr A** · 31/07/2007, 3:22 AM

These ads have been annoying me for quite some time. Pure scaremongering and must be tough on the elderly and people who live alone.

But then it's eircom, you wouldn't expect anything better.