As if Marks & Spencer has not got enough on its plate, the retailer has now been branded socially irresponsible for using an unhealthily thin model to promote fashion items on its website and app, although ironically the ad in question ran in April and May when all services had been knocked offline.
At the time, M&S was accused of “adding insult to injury” for continuing to run the campaign, as shoppers were not able to place online orders due to the “cyber-incident”, which, three months later, it has still not fully recovered from.
The issue was sparked by four separate ads, three featured models wearing pink polka dot dresses; while the other showed a female model wearing slim fit trousers and a white top.
Four complainants challenged whether the ads were socially irresponsible because they believed the models appeared to be unhealthily thin, sparking an Advertising Standards Authority investigation.
In its defence, M&S claimed its inclusive women’s wear clothing represented a full spectrum of sizes, ranging from eight to 24, adding that it took concerns about the depiction of body image in its ads “very seriously”.
It insisted the model’s pose was selected as a relaxed and natural one, with the neckline of the dress depicted to show its aesthetic appeal. Neither element was intended to make the model’s collar bones appear prominent and their appearance was only incidental.
The model’s pose for the slim fit trousers and white top “was picked to convey confidence and ease and it was not designed to accentuate her slimness”, the firm claimed.
However, the ASA had other ideas.
While it agreed with M&S on the three ads for the polka dot dress, it took issue with the pose and the choice of clothing for the model in slim fit trousers and white top
The regulator stated: “The model’s head appeared out of proportion with the rest of her body and further highlighted her small frame. Therefore, we considered that the pose of the model and the choice of clothing meant the ad gave the impression that the model was unhealthily thin.”
Ruling that the ad must not appear again in that form, the watchdog went on to warn M&S about future activity. The company confirmed it had removed the image.
Earlier this year, arch rival Next had an ad banned over a similar issue.
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