Rimmel has been forced to pull a campaign featuring Cara Delevingne as the advert “exaggerates the effect beyond what could be achieved by the product among consumers.”
The television advert for the Scandaleyes Reloaded mascara was originally released in December last year.
Delevigne was depicted using the product and the voiceover promises “Dangerously bold lashes. New max-density brush for clump-free lashes. Extreme volume … Extreme wear.”
ASA, the British advertising watchdog, said it received a complaint that the campaign misleadingly exaggerated the likely effects of the product.
Coty, Rimmel’s parent company, defended the advert, saying that while there had been post-production treatment it still provided an accurate representation of the product and its characteristics.
Source: YouTube/Coty
The beauty giant stated that in accordance with industry practice, “individual lash inserts were used only to fill in gaps and to create a uniform lash line.”
But it revealed that in post-production some lashes were re-drawn where they were not visible due to the model’s dark eyeshadow. But that process didn't lengthen or thicken the lashes, Coty said.
However, ASA took a different view. It concluded that the use of lash inserts should not create a lengthening or volumising effect beyond what could be achieved by the mascara on the model's natural lashes.
'Misleading effect'
The ASA ruling said: “We considered that they did appear to be longer in the after photo.
“While it was not clear whether this was due to the lash inserts or the 're-drawing' of some lashes in post-production, or both, we considered that the overall effect was longer lashes with more volume.”
Adverts banned by ASA include campaigns from P&G-owned Nice ‘N Easy for exaggerating the capabilities of the product.
In 2011, L'Oréal was forced to pull adverts featuring actress Julia Roberts and supermodel Christy Turlington, after the watchdog upheld complaints that the images were overly airbrushed.
A spokesperson for Coty said: "Rimmel has worked closely with the ASA since the complaint was raised in December. While we regret the decision of the ASA, we will of course comply with the ruling and not air this TV commercial again in this state."
