Back in 2011, a Lancome ad featuring Julia Roberts was banned for the excessive use of photoshop. UK’s Advertising Standard Authority was the one who banned the ad, insisting that the image of Robert’s flawless skin was much too unrealistic.
The ad promotes one of Lancome’s foundations, which promises to give off the appearance of perfect skin. Although the ad was banned mainly for it’s exaggerated claims, the ad also raises an ethics issue. Should businesses have the creative freedom to advertise however they like?
It appears to me that media has always portrayed an unattainable image of beauty to society. Society is heavily influenced by the media, especially young girls. They see images of famous celebrities on television and in magazines and aspire to be like them. Many teenage girls struggle with self esteem, as their perception of beauty imitates what they see in the media. Although it is not necessarily a company’s duty to promote self esteem, there could be many positive effects on society if more companies were to do so.