Rhombus Claimed "Out Perform Other Providers Across All Metrics"
With Rhombus growing fast and partially opening up, the company has attempted to differentiate itself from VSaaS competitors in marketing, with Verkada a frequent target.
Several comparative ads made outlandish claims about Rhombus's capabilities, which the company took down following an IPVM inquiry.
In this report, we examine the Rhombus ads, why they did not square with FTC guidance, and Rhombus's response to IPVM's inquiry.
Executive *******
*********** *********** *** **** ********* **** informed ******* *******, *** *** **** the *********** ** ********** ** ****** strong. *******'* *** **** **** *** latter ******** **** **** ******* **** Rhombus "*** *******[*] ***** ********* ****** all *******" *** ** "***% ****** than *******."
******* ******* *** *** ** ******** to ** **** *******.
*** *** **** **** ** * broader ***** ** ***** ******* *** attempted ** ************* ****** **** ***********, specifically *******. ******* ****** ********* **** its ******** ***** "******** ******** ******** performance" *** **** "******* ******** *** performance **** *** *****." *** *** allows *** **** ********** *********** ***********, but **** **** *** **** ** accurate *** ****** ** ***** ********. Some ** *******'* *** ***, *** the **** ******* **** **** ****** not.
********* *** **** **** ********* ***'* play ** *** *****. ** ********* Rhombus ** ******** *** *********** *********** going *******.
Claimed "*** ******* ***** ********* ****** *** *******" *** "***% ****** **** *******"
**** ******** "*******," **** *********** * series ** ******* ******* ******.
** ***, ******* ******* ** ** "100% ****** **** *******" *** "********** Better":
** *******, ******* ******* ** "********** other ********* ****** *** *******":
**** ** *** ****** ****** ** true. *** ******** **** ** *** company ** ** "***% ******" **** those **** ** *******, ** ** "out ******* ***** ********* ****** *** metrics," **** **** ** ******* ****** performance ******* *** ********, *****************.
** ** **** * ****** ********* that ********* ** ********, ****** *** industry, ****** ** **** ** *********** claim ****.
*******, ****'* ******* ** ******* *********** Rhombus's ****** (***:***** ******** ****).
FTC *********** *********** *** *****-**-*********** ********
***** *** *** ****** *********** ***********,*** ****** ** ********* **** *** "******* *******, ***, if *********, ********** ** ***** ********* of *** ********." **** **** ** accurate *** ****** ** ***** ********. Generally,*** *****-**-*********** ******* **** *** *** **** ** backed ** * "********** *****," ******* appropriate ********.
*******'* ******* ****** ****** ****** * "reasonable *****," ********* * ***** ** superiority ("***% ******" *** ****** "****** all *******") **** ****** ** ****** substantiated. ** **** * "********** *****" for *** ***, *** ** ** consistent **** *** **********, ******* ***** need ******** ************* ********* ****** ********* *** ******** *** ************** ****** ***********************. ****'* * ****** ******** ********, and, ** *********, **** ******* ***** that ******* **** *** *** ******* other ********* ****** *** ********.
** ****** ******* ******, ******* **** itself * *********** *********. **** *** company *****'* ******* ****** *****-**-*********** *********, it *** ***** * '**** ** the ******' ** ***** *********** *** incentivized ** **** ***** *** ********** claims ** ** ** *** **** behind.
Rhombus *******
******* ******* *** *** ** ******** to ** **** *******:
********* *** *** *** ********** *****, we *** ** ****** ******* ***** ads. ** ** ********** **** ******* and **’** ******* ** *** **** to ****** *** ******** *** ****** are ********** **** *** *****-**-*********** ****.
** *** **** **** ******* ********** our ********, *** **** ********* **** the *** *** ** ****** ****.
*******
**'* **** *** ******* ** **** comparative ******, ** **** ** **** are ******** *** ****** ** ******** evidence. ****** **** ****** *********** ** "*********" one *******, *** ***** **** *********** ****** do *** ******* "* ****** ******** of **************" **** "********** ******." ****** truth-in-advertising **** ***** ****. ******* **** needs ** ****** ****.
*********, *******' *********** *********** ** **** concerning. *** *********** **** ** *******'* *******, ******* *** ************ **** ********* who **** ****** ******* ******** **** Verkada ****:
******* **** ** *** *************** *******' ************ ******* ******* *** other ***********:
** ******** ****, ******* **** ** *** "********" performance *** **** "******* ******** *** performance **** *** *****."
** *****, ****** ******* *** **** ********** *********** advertising. ********* *** ****-**** *********** *** discuss ******** ***********. *** ****** ***** are ********** ********, ****** ****** *********** across ******** ******* ** ****** ******* claims ** "********... ***********" **** ** not ***** ** ******** ************.
** ********* ******* ** ******** *** advertising ***** *******, *** ** ***** to ******** ****** ***** ******** *** extreme **** ******** *****.