The Advertising Standards Authority in the UK has just banned 2 L’Oreal advertisements featuring Julia Roberts and Christy Turlington, according to Ad Age. Why, you ask? Because this watchdog group deems the ads “misleading” and full of “exaggeration,” and they also went on to say that L’Oreal couldn’t prove that the ads weren’t “overly airbrushed.” Interesting, huh?
One of the 2 ads in question features Julia Roberts for Lancome’s Teint Miracle Foundation. The photo was shot by famed fashion photographer Mario Testino. The ASA deemed that “On the basis of the evidence we received we could not conclude that the ad image accurately illustrated what effect the product could achieve.” L’Oreal claims that Testino “had used flattering light to reduce the imperfections.”
Roberts, still gorgeous even without makeup image: getty
The second ad was for Maybelline the Eraser Foundation and shows part of Christy Turlington’s face with the foundation, and the other half uncovered to show what the product can achieve. Even though L’Oreal revealed that post production enhancement techniques had been used in this case, but the ASA decided that “L’Oreal had provided insufficient evidence about the digital retouching of the images and banned the ad with immediate effect.”
L’Oreal states that they are “disappointed” with the ASA’s rulings and that “they do not exaggerate the effects that their products can achieve” in their advertisements.
Christy, sans makeup and stunning image: rdujour
Personally, I feel that L’Oreal is in the business of selling makeup, so naturally, they are going to show their products in the most flawless, beautiful way possible. And they chose women who are extremely beautiful-even without makeup-to represent their brands,so it wasn’t like they were re-creating someone’s face. I also believe that most makeup consumers are smart enough to know that just because they purchase a product worn by a supermodel in an ad, that most likely, the will not end up looking like that supermodel, with or without makeup, even if they do use that product. And although these celebrities are naturally attractive with bare faces, they don’t look like print beauty advertisements when they wake up in the morning, and can only achieve that level of glamour after hours of professional hair and makeup, and possible airbrushing. Everyone needs at least a little bit of help. I know I do!
What do you think? Do you agree with the ASA, or think they have gone too far?
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