An “irresponsible” advert for Next clothing has been banned for featuring a model who appeared “unhealthily thin”, a watchdog has said.
The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) acknowledged that, while the model’s face did not appear to be gaunt and her arms did not display any protruding bones, the advert used the camera angle and styling to emphasise the slimness of her legs.
A single viewer complained about the advert last September.
The model was shown sitting on a wooden block with one leg bent and one leg straight in the product listing for denim leggings.
Next said its stylist and product manager had met the model in person during the photoshoot and did not have concerns about her health.
The retailer said it had not digitally altered her appearance but the leggings had been brought lower toward her ankles.
ASA raised concerns that the pose, which saw the model’s left leg bent at a right angle, made her thigh appear to be the same width as her lower leg.
“We considered that the sharpness of the angle drew attention to the model’s knee, which was prominent underneath the tight-fitting leggings,” the ruling said.
Other images of the same model shown within the product listing were taken at different angles and with different poses, which meant the model did not appear “unhealthily thin”.
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But with this particular image, ASA said, “because the pose, camera angle and styling in the ad investigated strongly emphasised the slimness of the model’s legs, we considered that the ad gave the impression that the model was unhealthily thin”.
As such, it concluded the ad was “irresponsible”.
Next defended the advert, saying it was created with a “strong sense of responsibility to both consumers and society” and that the model, while slim, had a healthy and toned physique that aligned with the nature of its product.
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It said the “setup was selected to maintain focus on the product while avoiding any exaggeration of her body shape”.
Next was told the advert must not appear again in its current form, with ASA reminding the high street giant it had a responsibility to ensure images were prepared responsibly and “did not portray models as being unhealthily thin”.
Next has been contacted for comment.
