The South African Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) has taken a firm stance against one of the country’s most recognisable grocery delivery brands, ruling that a recent Checkers Sixty60 advertisement makes misleading claims about its delivery reach — specifically its bold promise of delivering groceries virtually “anywhere.”
The ARB’s Directorate investigated the matter following a formal complaint lodged against the ad, examining it under Clause 4.2.1 of Section II of the Advertising Code — a provision that explicitly prohibits advertising content that inflates consumer expectations or misleads the public through exaggeration or implication.
The advertisement in question forms part of Checkers Sixty60’s “Summer Delivered” campaign. In the visually striking ad, a group of people are shown relaxing on the deck of a floating house along the West Coast, with others swimming nearby. One of them places a grocery order through the Checkers Sixty60 app — and the delivery arrives, dramatically, via helicopter. On screen, the text reads: “Summer, delivered. Anywhere” and “Somewhere on West Coast.”
For most viewers, the ad reads as playful and aspirational. For at least one consumer, it raised a very practical question.
Why a West Coast Resident Filed the Complaint
The complainant, a resident of St Helena Bay, took issue with the advertisement’s sweeping “anywhere” claim after discovering that Checkers Sixty60 does not deliver to their home address — let alone via helicopter. They formally lodged a complaint with the ARB, arguing the ad set unrealistic expectations about both the service’s geographic coverage and its delivery methods.
The ARB acknowledged upfront that Checkers Sixty60 is not a registered ARB member, which technically places the matter outside its direct jurisdiction. Despite this, the board chose to engage with the complaint “in the interests of transparency” and to assess the creative intent behind the campaign.
In its defence, Checkers Sixty60 argued that the advertisement was never intended to be taken literally. The brand described the helicopter and floating house imagery as “visual hyperbole” — a creative storytelling device designed to capture the playful, aspirational tone of summer rather than make factual claims about delivery logistics.
“The depiction of a helicopter delivering groceries to a floating house is not intended to represent Sixty60’s actual delivery methods or geographic coverage,” the company stated, adding that the ocean setting functions as a “metaphorical storytelling device.”
On the phrase “Summer delivered anywhere”, the advertiser maintained that the language is figurative, meant to evoke feelings of emotional freedom and spontaneity — not to promise delivery to every coastal location or offshore environment in South Africa. The brand further argued that no reasonable consumer would interpret the ad as a guarantee of helicopter delivery or service to remote areas, noting that the advertisement contains no pricing, operational guarantees, or factual claims about delivery coverage.
Despite these arguments, the ARB was unconvinced. The board concluded that the advertisement violates Clause 4.2.1 of the Code, primarily because its messaging creates misleading implications about how far and wide the delivery service actually operates.
Crucially, while Checkers Sixty60 is not obligated to comply with the ruling given its non-membership status, the ARB’s finding carries real-world consequences. The decision signals that the advertisement could face significant restrictions across media platforms that do adhere to ARB guidelines — potentially limiting where and how the campaign can continue to run.
The ruling is a timely reminder for advertisers that creative licence, however well-intentioned, has boundaries — especially when figurative language risks creating concrete misunderstandings about the actual service being offered. For consumers, it reinforces the value of an independent advertising watchdog willing to weigh in, even when its jurisdiction is not absolute.