A firm that promoted, via a series of tweets, a number of competitions, has had a complaint against it upheld by the advertising watchdog.

The Advertising Standards Authority ruling does not say what the firm, HarrisonCole, does in the way of business, but gives its address as 1 Newbrook Road, Over Hulton, Bolton BL5 1EL.

An online estate agent called HarrisonCole gives exactly the same address on its website.

The tweets sent out promoted prize draws on Twitter, asking for retweets and follows, with prizes including an iPad Mini, Nandos vouchers and an iPhone Power case.

The complainant, who believed a number of the winners were closely connected to the advertiser, challenged whether the promotions had been administered fairly; whether the winners had been selected by an independent person; and whether the prizes had been awarded in accordance with the laws of chance.

HarrisonCole told the Advertising Standards Authority that the prize draws were genuine. The firm said it was not connected to any of the prize winners and that the winners had been selected by an independent person external to HarrisonCole.

However, the complaint was upheld, as the ASA said it had not seen evidence to demonstrate that the prizes were awarded to genuine winners in accordance with the laws of chance and by an independent person or under the supervision of an independent person.

The ASA has told HarrisonCole to ensure their future promotions are administered fairly and that prizes were awarded to genuine winners in accordance with the laws of chance and by an independent person or under the supervision of an independent person.

http://www.harrisoncole.co.uk/