Improper was characterized by the UK Agency Advertising Standards Authority, the new Gucci advert, because it contains “unhealthily thin” models. ASA’s intervention followed a Times’ reader’s complaint, where the ad was featured, about the body type of models.
The answer of Gucci was clear, but diplomatic. On the one hand, they admitted that the models Madison Stubbington and Avery Blanchard have a thin body, but that it is subjective whether it is considered “unhealthily thin”, stressing the fact that the target group of the Times is of a mature age, to the point that such an advert can be easily misunderstood. Moreover, they continued, neither were their bones exposed, nor their makeup heavy, for their face to look different.
Nevertheless, Gucci’s point of view was not enough to dissuade the Advertising Standards Authority’s decision, which insisted that “the model’s torso and arms were quite slender and appeared to be out of proportion with her head and lower body.” How different are the beauty standards nowadays and how tolerant is UK on the subject of anorexia?
