Where on the web can I find examples of print advertising for Dyson
Contrarotator washing machines, or information on the advertising
strategy for this product?

Hello goldrush,

What an enjoyable question to research.  After seeing their TV ad and
their animated diagram, I'm sold!  Dyson has a web page showing a
terrific animation of how the two drums rotating in opposite
directions work, with a link to a TV ad explaining the advantages over
other front-loading machines.

http://www.dyson.co.uk/nav/inpageframe.asp?id=TECH/CONTRAROTATOR/OVERVIEW/MENU

Reading the court cases, (of which there were several related to their
vacuum cleaners in addition to the one about the washing machine)and
the press releases gives a good picture of their advertising strategy.
 They claim to wash clothes more effectively than the competition. 
They are not selling on price but rather on completely innovative new
design that provides superior performance.  Their machines are more
expensive, but worth it.

Here is the web page showing their line of washing machines:

http://www.dyson.co.uk/range/range_overview.asp?model=CR01

Dyson offers brochures through the mail.   Select the washing machine
icon and  follow from there:

http://www.dyson.co.uk/range/brochure.asp

The entire Dyson contrarotator washing machine operators manual is
available in PDF format (if you have a dial-up connection, I recommend
a snack break while it downloads!):

http://www.dyson.co.uk/aftersales/manuals/cr01_handbookK.pdf

Now lets get to the heart of the matter with their advertising claims.
 They have turned statistics generated by a consumer product rating
company and then printed them in a national newspaper ad.  Their
claims of superior washing performance were challenged.

Here is press release from the consumer product rating company, Which.
It discusses a court case, where Which, disputed Dyson's washing
machine advertising claims. "A High Court Judge today rejected Dyson's
demand for Which? to hand over its research data and background
material on the Contrarotator washing machine."

http://www.which.net/whatsnew/pr/jan01/general/dyson3.html

The dispute is explained in an earlier press release from Which.  "CA
calls on Dyson to come clean and lodges complaint over 'misleading'
Dyson advertisements Consumers' Association today formally complained
to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over press advertisements
taken out by Dyson for its Contrarotator washing machine - claiming
they were 'misleading'. "

http://www.which.net/whatsnew/pr/jan01/general/dyson2.html

Of course Dyson's press release reads a little differently saying,
"ASA ruling shows Dyson washes cleaner than all others."  "In January,
Dyson published Which? laboratory’s test results showing that the
Dyson has the cleanest wash performance of the best performing washing
machines. Which? complained to the Advertising Standards Authority
(ASA) that Dyson was not allowed to publish their results - an
objection that has been overruled by the ASA."

http://www.dyson.co.uk/news/article.asp?mode=Back&id=93	

The court ruling itself says, "The Consumers' Association, Bosch and a
member of the public objected to a national newspaper advertisement
for the advertisers' washing machine. The advertisement was headed
"Dyson Contrarotator. The latest facts from Which." It stated
"Independent tests carried out by the Which? laboratories show that
the Dyson far outperforms the best washing machines. The Dyson was the
only machine tested to get A+ with a full load at 40 degrees
centigrade. The best competitor could only manage a C. Oddly, Which?
magazine reported otherwise."

http://www.asa.org.uk/adjudications/show_adjudication.asp?adjudication_id=29109&dates_of_adjudications_id=all&from_index=by_issue&issue_id=26

A helpful generic discussion of advertising strategy:

http://www.businessteacher.co.uk/resources/studyroom/marketing/advertising/index.php
 
It looks like they've had to defend their advertising claims pretty
hard.  I hope this gives you the answers you were seeking.  I could
not find an online version of the actual print ad.

Regards,

historybuff

---

Clarification of Answer by historybuff-ga on 09 Aug 2002 19:29 PDT

goldrush,

Here are a few more items that support the advertising message "we've
invented a better way to wash your clothes."

Engineering magazine gives you Dyson's advertising message in its
August 2001 issue when it says, "The Dyson Contrarotator washing
machine makes confident claims to revolutionise the laundry process as
we know it.  Behind the scenes and the prevalent marketing, however,
lies an equally impressive set of automation"

http://www.engineeringnet.co.uk/features.htm

Another account of what happenned with Dyson's advertising claims
appears in Consumers' Association annual report and says, "...our
verdict on the new  L  1000+ Dyson Contrarotator washing machine.  Our
tests showed that slthough it worked well, a current 'Best Buy' was
jsut as good and cost less than half the price.  Dyson, stung by our
conclusion, ran a series of  newspaper adverts in an attempt to show
htat our findings were wrong.  After complaints from Consumers'
Association, and others, the Advertising Standarss Authority ruled
that Dyson's adverts made an unfair and misleading comparision with
other machines."   Find the mention on page two:

http://www.which.net/help/aboutca/annualreport/report2001/section3.pdf

In this interview Mr. Dyson himself explains the advantages of the
product, "The problem, according to Dyson, is that clothes in
conventional, single-drum, tumble-action washers move in a simple
“drop-and-flop” pattern that fails to flex the fabric and open the
weave to the detergent solution. With insufficient mechanical energy
being put into the clothes, the tumbling washers are overly dependent
on the other two legs of the cleaning triad—thermal energy from the
hot water and chemical energy from the detergent. " The entire
interview gives you insight into their marketing strategy.

http://www.ammagazine.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,2606,19842,00.html

It's also interesting to note that they used cutting edge design
techniques in creating the new machine.    It has won awards for both
innovation and beauty of design.    The sleek look, the eye-catching
design, are all part of the message they are sending that they have
invented an entirely new system that does a BETTER job washing
clothes.  You can find design awards for the Contrarotator on the
following page:

http://www.dyson.co.uk/jd/2000.asp

Are we both running out and buying one of these now?

historybuff

This was quite a comprehensive answer, which addressed mostv of the
question and provided useful examples.  An interesting examples of a
tv ad was found though the question about examples of print
advertisements wasn't answered.