Britain’s advertising regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), has banned two online advertisements by Spanish clothing giant Zara for using models that appeared “unhealthily thin.” The ruling was issued after the ASA received a complaint about the ads, which were featured on Zara’s website in May.
“Irresponsible” Imagery Prompts Ban
The ASA took issue with two specific images. One showed a model whose collarbones were “protruding,” with her pose and styling making her appear “very slim.” The other ad featured a model who looked “slightly gaunt,” with the combination of a slicked-back hairstyle and certain lighting and clothing making her look “noticeably thin.”
The watchdog determined that the ads violated social responsibility rules and has ordered that they not be used again in their current form. Zara stated that the ads were removed from their website after the ASA brought the complaint to their attention.
Zara Defends Models’ Health
In its defense, Zara informed the ASA that the models featured in the ads were medically certified as healthy, in accordance with British guidelines. The company also stated that only minor adjustments to lighting and color had been made to the images. Zara emphasized its commitment to “stringent guidelines and controls in the selection and photographing of models.”
This is not the first time the ASA has taken action against such advertising. Earlier this year, the regulator also banned similar ads from British retailers Next and Marks & Spencer.