In our first scene, we see an army operative in full camouflage combat gear, alert and ready for trouble. In our second scene, we see Wayne and Dot Anderson-Lee, in their comfy at-home attire, alert and ready to answer quick-fire questions on The Chase.
At first glance, these two scenes have little in common. At second glance – both camo-guy and Wayne appear to be wearing the exact same pair of edgy, high-tech wraparound sunglasses.
They're called TAC glasses – TAC for tactical. Sunglasses that were enthusiastically promoted in the ad breaks between segments of The Chase as being suitable not just for combat, but also skiing, sailing, hiking, golfing, and – this is key – driving.
The ad showed what driving would look like from the viewer's side of the glasses.
It suggested that the wearer could expect significantly reduced glare and a safer drive just by getting a pair of TACs.
It showed a number of random punters picking up the glasses, saying "wow" and "wow".
Wayne bought the TAC sunnies, got them home, opened the box and discovered a great looking pair of shades. But also, a little tag which said – not to be used for driving.
The couple felt duped. They said not only were the ads misleading, but also there was nothing on the exterior packaging to indicate the glasses weren't suitable or safe for driving.
"So I think it's false advertising," Wayne said.
Turns out, almost all the versions of the TAC ads had already been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority, which found them to be misleading and that they disregarded safety. That was back in March this year.
But one version of the ad retained its ad approval number, meaning it continued to be played on TVNZ, which is how Wayne and Dot came to see it. After a further complaint though, all versions of the commercial have now been pulled off air.
When Fair Go phoned Global Shop Direct, who import and market the glasses, they were told they could be used for driving.
When Fair Go queried this, they transferred the call to another representative, who said they could be used for driving as long as the windows aren't tinted.
But an optometrist told Fair Go the glasses were likely to be category four density (tint) which made them unsafe for driving.
As well as being marketed heavily on TVNZ by Global Shop Direct, the TAC Glasses are sold in many retail stores throughout New Zealand, including the Warehouse.
The Warehouse has refunded Wayne for the TAC glasses, and said it is reviewing the packaging of the glasses following the Advertising Standards Authority finding.
Wayne and Dot Anderson-Lee still go driving and while Dot enjoys the spring Blenheim sunset in her TAC glasses, Wayne has to drive with a cap on.
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