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UK Bans 'Too Perfect' Julia Roberts L'Oreal Ad

Over-airbrushed Roberts—and Turlington—ads yanked

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 28, 2011 3:19 AM CDT

(Newser) – Julia Roberts looks like she hasn't aged a day in her new makeup ad. Now British advertising authorities have told L'Oreal it went too far touching up Roberts'—and Christy Turlington's—face. The cosmetics firm was ordered to pull two overly airbushed magazine ads featuring the models after the regulator decided that the ads—one of which touted a foundation's ability to create "natural light"—had been retouched to an extent likely to mislead consumers, the BBC reports.

L'Oreal, citing contractual obligations, declined to provide the regulator with pre-production copies of the photo. It did admit to lightening Turlington's skin and reducing dark shadows around her eyes, among other tweaks, but claims it left signs of aging like crow's feet. A lawmaker who has long lobbied against unrealistic images of women in advertising hailed the decision. "Excessive airbrushing and digital manipulation techniques have become the norm, but both Christy Turlington and Julia Roberts are naturally beautiful women who don't need retouching to look great," she tells the Guardian. "This ban sends a powerful message to advertisers: Let's get back to reality."

L'Oreal has been banned from using these ads in Britain.
L'Oreal has been banned from using these ads in Britain.   (L'Oreal)
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If advertisers go too far in using airbrushing and other post-production techniques to alter the appearance of models and it's likely to mislead people, then that's wrong and we'll stop the ads. - Guy Parker, chief executive of the Advertising Standards Authority

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
wyle
Jul 28, 2011 9:09 AM CDT
Requiring truth in advertising, I wonder how that would work in politics?
Switters
Jul 28, 2011 8:48 AM CDT
"This ban sends a powerful message to advertisers: Let's get back to reality." On what planet was advertising ever associated with reality?  If I were these ad people I'd just say, "Fuck you. It's a photo-realistic digital painting.  Now can we please go back to annoying the shit out of people?"
plain_speaking
Jul 28, 2011 8:00 AM CDT
Hurray....I don't mind looking 50....takes the pressure off to look 25.....

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