"We guarantee one year free electricity if the Netherlands become world champion". The Dutch energy company ‘De Nederlandse Energie Maatschappij’ (NEM) is back in the news with a new campaign. Now it is not about complaints regarding famous Dutch people (Natasha Froger / Maurice de Hond) in its commercials. This time the Public Prosecutor has taken action.
The NEM promises new customers one year free electricity at € 450, - if the Dutch team wins the World Cup. According to the Public Prosecutor this refers to a promotional game of chance. Therefore NEM must comply with the Dutch Code of Conduct on Promotional Games of Chance. A requirement for this kind of promotional games of chance is that the total amount of prizes will not exceed € 100,000. This implies that the NEM can only provide 222 new customers one year free electricity. The PPS believes that this is not made sufficiently clear in the advertising nor in the terms and conditions. That fact that it is communicated that the promotion is enabled for a limited number of clients is not enough.
The NEM disagrees and seems to find support in the Dutch Advertising Code Committee. The Committee would have ruled that the promotion is not to be considered a promotional game of chance. I do not agree with this. There is an opportunity to compete for prizes and clients can not exercise influence on the Dutch team winning the World Cup.
Meanwhile the participation period has passed and – according to the NEM itself – there are thousands of new customers. On the website is still mentioned that every ne customer has a chance to win one year free electricity. I wonder what will happen. But first the Dutch team needs to win the finals!
Kim Braber
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office Emerald House Jozef Israëlskade 48-G Amsterdam, the Netherlands t +31 (0)20 - 305 3066 www.hoogenhaak.nl |
post PO Box 76780 1070 KB Amsterdam e info@hoogenhaak.nl f +31 (0)20 - 305 3069 chamber of commerce 34314579 |
"We guarantee one year free electricity if the Netherlands become world champion". The Dutch energy company ‘De Nederlandse Energie Maatschappij’ (NEM) is back in the news with a new campaign. Now it is not about complaints regarding famous Dutch people (Natasha Froger / Maurice de Hond) in its commercials. This time the Public Prosecutor has taken action.
The NEM promises new customers one year free electricity at € 450, - if the Dutch team wins the World Cup. According to the Public Prosecutor this refers to a promotional game of chance. Therefore NEM must comply with the Dutch Code of Conduct on Promotional Games of Chance. A requirement for this kind of promotional games of chance is that the total amount of prizes will not exceed € 100,000. This implies that the NEM can only provide 222 new customers one year free electricity. The PPS believes that this is not made sufficiently clear in the advertising nor in the terms and conditions. That fact that it is communicated that the promotion is enabled for a limited number of clients is not enough.
The NEM disagrees and seems to find support in the Dutch Advertising Code Committee. The Committee would have ruled that the promotion is not to be considered a promotional game of chance. I do not agree with this. There is an opportunity to compete for prizes and clients can not exercise influence on the Dutch team winning the World Cup.
Meanwhile the participation period has passed and – according to the NEM itself – there are thousands of new customers. On the website is still mentioned that every ne customer has a chance to win one year free electricity. I wonder what will happen. But first the Dutch team needs to win the finals!
Kim Braber