In April 2026 Movistar launched the campaign 'Vuelve a contestar ¿Sí?' for its 'Llamadas molestas' anti-spam tool, across television, radio, internet and social media, under the slogan 'Movistar. La red más segura' — the safest network. The numbers behind it were real: the tool had blocked more than 190 million fraudulent calls, including 97% of fraudulent calls detected in Spain since March of the previous year.
Orange España complained to Autocontrol, Spain's advertising self-regulation body. On 6 May 2026 its jury ruled the slogan an unproven claim of exclusivity and superiority over every other network: network safety spans more than spam-call blocking, so even strong statistics could not carry 'the safest'. Telefónica appealed, and Autocontrol ratified the decision on 29 May 2026.
Telefónica must rectify the advertising and stop using the phrase — but the jury validated the 190-million blocked-calls figure as documented and objective, and Movistar may keep advertising it. The specific, provable metric passed; the absolute superlative did not.
Autocontrol banned the superlative but kept the 190-million blocked-calls figure, ruling safety spans more than spam blocking.
The statistics were real; the leap was not: 'blocks 97% of scam calls' proves one thing, while 'the safest network' asserts everything.
Superlatives invite rivals to demand proof: Orange's complaint put the burden on Telefónica, and 'safer on every parameter' was not provable.
Self-regulation can still kill a slogan: Autocontrol's jury ordered withdrawal across TV, radio, internet and social, and held the line on appeal.
A superlative must cover everything it claims: blocking spam well does not make a network 'the safest'. Advertise the number you can prove, not the crown you cannot.
Orange's complaint of 21 April 2026 produced a ruling on 6 May, ratified on appeal on 29 May 2026. Movistar keeps the 190-million blocked-calls claim, which Autocontrol validated; only the 'safest network' crown had to go.
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