Cara Delevingne Rimmel mascara ad banned for exaggerating cosmetic effects
A Rimmel ad fronted by model and brand ambassador Cara Delevingne has been banned for exaggerating the effects of a mascara.
The ad featuring the brand ambassador has been slapped with an ASA ban
The campaign aimed to promote the Coty-owned brand's Scadaleyes Reloaded mascara. A voiceover promised women "extreme volume" and "dangerously bold lashes," but the spot been spiked by the watchdog for using "misleading" post-production techniques.
One viewer complained to the ASA, questioning whether the effects shown were overemphasised, and the regulator agreed.
The sleek action-packed film showed Delevingne being followed by mystery men, while computer graphic-style clips detailed the benefits of using the mascara.
Coty said the ad provided an accurate representation of the product and its characteristics, and that 'before and after' images of the model's lashes demonstrated that in both situations she had "full and long lashes." It conceded that in line with industry practice individual lash inserts has been used to fill in the gaps in the lash line, and that in post-production some lashes were re-drawn.
The ASA argued that consumers would be likely to expect an experience similar to the results shown in the ad, adding that lash inserts should not be used to create a lengthening or volumising effect beyond what could be achieved with the product itself.
"We noted Coty's assertion that the post-production techniques used were not intended to lengthen the model's eyelashes. However, we considered that they did appear to be longer in the after photo," the regulator said in a ruling.
"Because the ad conveyed a volumising, lengthening and thickening effect of the product we considered the use of lash inserts and the post-production technique were likely to exaggerate the effect beyond what could be achieved by the product among consumers.
"We therefore concluded the ad was misleading," it finished, warning the cosmetics giant to avoid exagerations in the future. The ad has been banned from being shown by the brand in its current form.
Rimmel inked a deal Delevingne last year, announcing the news via the brand's first global Snapchat 'press conference'.