Competition and Markets Authority / Misleading Online Practices

Helping consumers to avoid sneaky sales tactics

The Online
Rip-off Tip-off

The Challenge

Help consumers spot and avoid misleading online practices (MOPs) such as subscription traps, hidden charges, pressure selling and fake reviews so that they can protect themselves and make better purchasing choices.

The Insight

Despite most people believing they were ‘savvy’ shoppers who wouldn’t fall victim to a MOP, research showed that 7/10 people had experienced them. We needed trusted voices to make the MOPS salient, with emotive language, a familiar context, and clear actions.

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The Platform for Change

The Online Rip-Off Tip-Off used common shopping language to reposition misleading online practices as ‘rip-offs’.

To launch the platform we created ‘Rip-Off Road’, a real-life market with characters and stalls designed to represent the most common MOPs.

We identified consumer champion, Angellica Bell, as the most suitable messenger to front the campaign. Central to the campaign, we produced a three-minute hero film fronted by Angellica to help consumers identify and avoid sneaky sales tactics.

 Watch the full film

A woman in a gray knit hat and teal hoodie holds a megaphone. She displays a laptop with 'SUBSCRIPTION TRAPS' on the screen. The background has signs that say 'CALL IT OUT!' and 'REPORT IT!'. The logo of the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) is in the bottom left corner, with additional logos and text referencing online rip-off and tip-off.
A woman in a turquoise hoodie and gray beanie holding a laptop displaying 'Pressure Selling' text and a megaphone. The background is purple with phrases 'Call it Out!' and 'Report It!' and logos of the CMA and online rip-off tip-off.
A woman wearing a gray beanie and teal hoodie holds a white megaphone and a laptop displaying 'Hidden Charges' against a purple background. Text bubbles say 'Call It Out!' and 'Report It!'. The logo of the CMA (Competition & Markets Authority) and banners for 'Rip-Off Tip-Off' are also present.

Impact

115

pieces of news coverage including a segment on BBC’s Lorraine

consumers who recognised the campaign took positive action

6.7m

Black background with white text reading "PRWeek Awards" in large font.

Awards

The logo for The Drum Awards, featuring a white circular icon with a stylized drum and the words 'The Drum Awards' in white text on a black background.

The campaign won a Highly Commended at the PRWeek Awards for Best Use of Planning, Strategy and Evaluation, alongside being shortlisted at the Drum PR and Drum Social Purpose Awards for Best Integrated Campaign.

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