L'Oreal adverts for anti-wrinkle cream featuring actress Rachel Weisz have been banned following a complaint from Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson.
The advert, for revitalift repair, was judged by the Advertising Standards Authority to have "misleadingly exaggerated" the product after Weisz's skin was retouched.
The move was hailed by Swinson as a sign of progress: "Where advertisers cross the line it's important that they are held accountable more generally. It's not purely about women, there's big pressures on men as well," she told Huff Post UK.Â
"With the volume of images that contain women as well as men, there is arguably a greater pressure on women but it's not purely a feminist issue. Along with this idealised images there is also a very pervasive message that what matters for women is how they look."
The Liberal Democrat MP said she was "sure" that extended to female MPs, adding: "Go through the [press] archives over the past few years, everything from Theresa May's shoes and Jacqui Smith's cleavage. I've seen MPs in the new intake suffer appalling sexist stuff, when they're trying to pursue an important issue it just gets lost in the coverage. It's a double whammy, not only is there all of this pressure to look this way but girls grow up thinking that's what important."
Previously, Swinson has successfully made complaints against a Lancome advert featuring Julia Roberts and a Maybelline advert featuring the supermodel Christy Turlington.
Swinson, who is chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Body Image, said she had no more outstanding complaints to make but "I've pulled some more out of magazines."
Below, see the L'Oreal ad as well as plenty more that have gotten the axe. Do you think it should've been banned?
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Ryanair
The ASA <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/15/banned-ryanair-ad_n_1279529.html?1329336365" target="_hplink">banned these Ryanair ads in February 2012</a>, deeming them too "sexually suggestive" to run in newspapers.
Drop Dead clothing line
Banned in November 2011 for<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/10/drop-dead-ads-banned-asa_n_1085903.html" target="_hplink"> showing an "underweight" model</a> and sending an "irresponsible" message.
Marc Jacobs Oh, Lola!
Banned in November 2011 for <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/09/dakota-fanning-perfume-ad-banned-marc-jacobs_n_1083535.html" target="_hplink">its potential to "sexualise a child."</a>
L'Oréal's Revitalift Repair 10
Banned in February 2012, for "misleadingly exaggerated the performance of the product," i.e. smoothing over Rachel Weisz's skin with technology, not makeup.
Marks & Spencer lingerie
Banned in November 2011 for <a href="http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG8924873/Marks-and-Spencer-lingerie-advert-banned-for-being-too-sexy.html" target="_hplink">showing ''objectified women''</a> and images that are ''sexually suggestive'' and likely to be seen by children.
Lynx Deodorant
Banned in November 2011 for being <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/26/banned-deodorant-ads-uk-lucy-pinder-lynx_n_1113958.html?1322660080" target="_hplink">"sexually suggestive, indecent, provocative."</a>
Miu Miu Fall 2011
Banned in November 2011 for <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/23/hailee-steinfeld-miu-miu-ad-banned_n_1109948.html" target="_hplink">its setting, on a rail road track, being "irresponsible."</a>
Lancome
Banned in July 2011 for <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/27/julia-roberts-loreal-ad-ban_n_910587.html" target="_hplink">"excessive retouching."</a>
Maybelline's The Eraser
Banned in July 2011 for "excessive retouching."
Yves Saint Laurent's Belle D'Opium fragrance
Banned in February 2011 for suggesting <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/02/ysl-belle-dopium-ad-banne_n_817455.html" target="_hplink">"the injection of opiates into the body."</a>
American Apparel Ads
Some of American Apparel ads (including the one above) were banned by Britain's ASA for gratuitous nudity; a few more were deemed "exploitative" for sexualizing young women.
(American Apparel photo)
Lara Stone for Calvin Klein
In 2012, Lara Stone posed with a group of male models in this Calvin Klein ad. It was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/21/calvin-klein-billboard-ba_n_771559.html" target="_blank">promptly banned by Australia's Advertising Standards Bureau</a> after they found it to be "suggestive of violence and rape."
Bulgari's Julianne Moore Ad
This ad was pulled in Italy in 2011 after the mayor of Venice found it inappropriate.
Rimmel's Mascara Ad
The British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/26/why-was-this-georgia-may-_n_788605.html" target="_blank">banned this ad after they declared it misleading</a> because Georgia May Jagger is wearing false eyelashes -- even though there's a small disclaimer at the bottom that says, "show with lash inserts."
Brian Atwood's Madison Avenue Ads
The <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/brian-atwood-ads-banned_n_1824162.html" target="_blank">video of this ad was banned from taxis and the print versions were banned</a> from the facade of Atwood's Madison Avenue store after being found to be too racy.
Natalie Portman for Dior
The Advertising Standards Authority<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/23/natalie-portman-dior-ad-banned-mascara_n_2004837.html" target="_blank"> banned this ad </a>because they felt the ad used excessive "post-production retouching" in order to exaggerate the real effects of the mascara being advertised.
Tom Ford's Gucci Campaign
In 2004, this Tom Ford Gucci ad campaign became controversial as women saw the girl's shaved pubic hair as degrading and wrong.
Rachel Weisz for L'Oreal Paris
This ad was banned after a complaint from Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson who claimed the ad was "misleadingly exaggerated" in that is makes Weisz look far younger than she actually is and presents a bad image for women.
American Apparel Sock Ad
Oh American Apparel, how you love to push the envelope. Here's another one that was banned because the ad is supposed to be promoting socks but it seems more to be exploiting the girl instead.
Taylor Swift for CoverGirl
This Taylor Swift mascara ad was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/20/covergirl-mascara-ad-banned_n_1159957.html" target="_blank">banned by the National Advertising Division of the COuncil of Better Business Bureaus Claims (NAD)</a> after they found the product depiction to be dishonest with it's claims that the mascara will make lashes have "2X more volume" and be "20 percent lighter."
American Apparel Models
Again, American Apparel gets in hot water when they apparently use underage models (girls younger than 16) on their website. Britain's ASA <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/05/american-apparel-sexy-ads-asa-child-models_n_2243360.html#slide=1805970" target="_blank">accused the store of "sexualizing" underage models. </a>
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The Huffington Post Dina Rickman First Posted: 02/01/2012 11:59 am Updated: 04/01/2012 5:12 am