Rogers Sues Bell Over Cell Phone Ad

7:30 am on February 5, 2006 | Category: Business, Cell Phones, Law, Wireless

Some unfriendly competition is taking shape in the Canadian cell phone industry, with Rogers Wireless suing Bell Mobility over a television ad that recently ran on national television networks.

The ad involves a cheetah, representing Bell’s high-speed wireless data network, eating and throwing up a hare, which represents Rogers’ wireless data network.

Rogers has filed a lawsuit against Bell Mobility’s parent company, BCE, claiming that the ad is designed to “disparage, denigrate, discredit, tarnish, diminish, and otherwise depreciate” the Rogers brand name.

“Bell is disparaging our brand,” said chief marketing officer of Rogers Wireless, John Boynton. “The cheetah did not beat the rabbit in a race showing speed, the cheetah swallowed the rabbit and barfed it up.”

“Bell has just recently been notified of this matter,” said a BCE spokesman in a statement. “It is currently under review by legal counsel, therefore at this time Bell has no comment.”

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    1. I found the ad here:

      cheetah ad

      so they’re not saying that the claim in the ad is not true, just that it makes them look bad?

      Comment by Idlehans — February 5, 2006 #

    2. Yes, the ad claims that Bell’s cellular data network is faster, which is true, but the way it’s presented is a bit uncalled for.

      From the moment I first saw the ad last week, I had a feeling Rogers might not be too pleased. ;)

      Comment by Jeremy — February 6, 2006 #

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