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Cap challenges Glass's over 'unsubstantiated' claims

Date: 29 November 2011   |   Author:

Residual value giant Cap has expressed grave concerns regarding competitor Glass's marketing material, taking umbrage with what it sees as the use of potentially damaging language by its arch rival.

Cap has misgivings over a pair of claims. The first, within Glass's subscription material, said the firm "provides insights to the whole automotive industry for every stage of a vehicle's life. We are the only independent source, so our data is more credible."

Cap's second complaint is what it called an "unsubstantiated" claim by its rival on its website that "Glass's valuations carry the highest trust".

"I have no problem with marketing that makes facts clear," said Cap's communication manager Mike Hind. "In this instance one marketing statement has the potential to infer that Cap is not independent, and the second claim is not qualified by any evidence."

BusinessCar also understands that Cap owner Emap's lawyers have written to Glass's, although the firm said it will be making no further comment at this stage.

However, in a written statement to BusinessCar, Carol Wolrich, the group director of brand and customer communications, countered: "There is no issue. Glass's recently received a request from Cap asking us to substantiate the claim that 'Glass's valuations carry the highest trust and that customers are more likely to buy from sites that display a trusted valuation'. We have since responded to Cap on this matter confirming that we do indeed have research which substantiates the claim. The statement refers to a product which targets consumers and is talking about consumers, not trade. It is backed up by research among consumers conducted by Harris last year showing that Glass's received the highest mentions on the statement 'Can rely on the company that provides this information' - both at an absolute level and when the brand halo is removed.

"The research also used a brand mapping technique to identify both the functional and emotional drivers of people when using a valuation website," Wolrich continued. "This research supports the second half of the statement."

BusinessCar also understands Glass's has sent a written response to Cap regarding the claims of being the only independent data source.



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