ASA raps P&G for misleading Twiggy ad

The Advertising Standards Authority has branded a magazine advert for Olay Definity eye illuminator featuring an airbrushed image of Twiggy as “misleading”. The advert, which carried a testimonial from the 60-year-old model saying that the product was her “secret to brighter-looking eyes”, generated 700 complaints via a website campaign set up by the Scottish Liberal Democrat MP, Jo Swinson. While the ASA concluded that the advert was not socially irresponsible it did rule it to be misleading.

Olay brand owner Procter & Gamble called Twiggy a “beautiful woman” but admitted to adding some “minor retouching” around the eye area. It told the watchdog that such alterations were “inconsistent” with its policies and added that the image had been replaced with one that had received no “post-production” work in the eye area.

“We acknowledge that advertisers were keen to present their products in their most positive light, using techniques such as post-production enhancement and the retouching of images,” said the ASA. “However, we considered that the post- production re-touching of this ad, specifically in the eye area, could give consumers a misleading impression of the effect the product could achieve.”

Swinson said that she hoped the ruling would bring airbrushing in advertising under control adding that women “shouldn’t constantly feel the need to measure up to a very narrow range of digitally-manipulated pictures”.

A P&G spokesperson said: “It is accepted industry practice to choose beautiful women such as Twiggy as models and to use cosmetic, hair styling and lighting to show them at their best.”