DirecTV told to stop airing Rob Lowe ads after Comcast complains

I love the Rob Lowe ads. I think they are satirical, funny without being truly mean. They capture the spirit of the Mac vs PC ads of a generation ago.

Following a Comcast (CMCSA) complaint, the Better Business Bureau this week recommended that DirecTV (DTV) discontinue its hilarious ad campaign featuring actor Rob Lowe, because the satellite TV company couldn’t substantiate many of the claims made in the commercials.

DirecTV clams in the spots that its service gets 99% signal reliability, up to 1080p HD programming, better picture and sound quality than cable, more sports programming than its rivals and shorter customer service wait times than its cable competitors. It also said it was rated No. 1 in customer satisfaction.

The Better Business Bureau has no real teeth here. But they do have pull. So their opinion does matter. Ultimately, it’d be up to the FTC to force DirecTV’s hand.

As to Rob Lowe, he tweeted this:

Recent events have underlined my belief that for something to be truly original, funny and subversive, there must also be fallout. #Life