L’Oreal ad banned for altering actress’s image

A L’OREAL advert featuring a digitally retouched image of actress Rachel Weisz has been banned by the advertising watchdog after a complaint from an MP.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the image used to promote L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Repair 10 was altered to make Weisz’s complexion appear smoother and more even.

It was judged to be in breach of the industry code and it “misleadingly exaggerated” the performance of the product, according to the ASA, which upheld a complaint from Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson.

The watchdog said the advert could not be used again in its current form and warned L’Oreal against using post-production techniques to misrepresent what their products can achieve.

L’Oreal, in response to the complaint, said it “sought to represent Rachel Weisz as favourably as possible and therefore every effort had gone into ensuring the most flattering set-up”.

The cosmetics company pointed out that “the ASA had previously ruled that cosmetics ads could present their product in the best possible light”.