Shower gel ad banned for ‘offensive stereotype' about black skin
A TV ad for Sanex, which ran in June, featured a black woman with red scratch marks and another covered with a cracked clay-like material.
A voiceover stated: 'To those who might scratch day and night. To those whose skin will feel dried out even by water.'
It then promoted Sanex and its '24-hour hydration feel' alongside images of a white woman having a shower with the product.
At the end of the ad, on-screen text and the voiceover stated: 'Relief could be as simple as a shower.'
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received two complaints arguing that the advert perpetuated negative stereotypes about people with darker skin tones and was offensive.
Colgate-Palmolive, the US consumer goods giant that makes Sanex, said the advert featured models with varied backgrounds, skin tones and ethnicities as part of the company's commitment to diversity.
It said the models were used in a 'before and after' scenario to demonstrate that the shower gel was suitable and effective for all, rather than as a comparison based on race or ethnicity.
As a result, the company said it did not believe the ad perpetuated negative racial stereotypes and was not likely to cause serious or widespread offence.
Clearcast, the regulator responsible for clearing TV ads before they air, argued that the ad demonstrated the product's inclusivity and used stylised and unrealistic techniques to show skin dryness.
The ASA acknowledged that the use of different skin colours was a means of portraying a 'before and after' of the product's use.
But it said the ad was structured in such a way that itchy and dry black skin was shown to be problematic and uncomfortable whereas the white skin, depicted as smoother and clean after using the product, was shown successfully changed and resolved.
The regulator said this could be interpreted as suggesting that white skin is superior to black skin.
The ASA added: 'Although we understood that this message was not the one intended and might appear coincidental or pass unnoticed by some viewers, we considered that the ad was likely to reinforce the negative and offensive racial stereotype that black skin was problematic and that white skin was superior.'
The watchdog concluded that the ad contained a racial stereotype and was therefore likely to cause serious offence. It said the ad must not appear again and told Colgate-Palmolive to ensure they avoided causing serious offence on the grounds of race.
It is the latest in a string of crackdowns by the ASA. The regulator earlier this month banned an advert for BrewDog beer for suggesting that alcohol can cure boredom.
It has also recently banned adverts for both Marks & Spencer and Zara for featuring models who appeared 'unhealthily thin'.
A Sanex spokesman said: 'We take note of the ASA Council's ruling. Our advert was intended to highlight how our skin therapy range supports healthy skin across a variety of skin types. At Sanex, our mission is to champion skin health for all, which is portrayed across our brand communications.'
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