Gucci ad banned in UK for using 'unhealthily thin' model

Image
Press Trust of India London
Last Updated : Apr 06 2016 | 9:28 PM IST
An advertisement by Italian couture house, Gucci, has been banned in the UK for allegedly showing an 'unhealthily thin' model.
A video was run on the Times website in December 2015, along with still images, featuring models waving their arms about at a dance party.
Apart from the 'party' looking a bit odd, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) took issue with one of the women in particular, who they said looked 'gaunt', reported Metro.
The model in question was photographed leaning against the wall in a long printed dress.
Someone filed a formal complaint against the ad, saying it was irresponsible to feature such a thin model - and the ASA agreed.
"We considered that her torso and arms were quite slender and appeared to be out of proportion with her head and lower body," the regulator said.
"Further, her pose elongated her torso and accentuated her waist so that it appeared to be very small. We also considered that her sombre facial expression and dark make up, particularly around her eyes, made her face look gaunt. For those reasons, we considered that the model leaning against the wall appeared to be unhealthily thin in the image, and therefore concluded that the ad was irresponsible."
Gucci said it "didn't show any models' bones." But the couture house told the ASA the model was not too thin, but instead "toned and slim".
It argued that "nowhere in the ads were any models' bones visible, [and] their make up was natural rather than heavy."
Despite Gucci apparently taking care not to show any models' bones, the fashion brand was told that the ad must not appear again in its current form.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Apr 06 2016 | 9:28 PM IST

Next Story