COSMETIC PRODUCTS ADVERTISEMENTS

Reporters: Catalla, Adelle Kryzle A. Chua, Katherine R. Cornejo, Mary Dominique L. 4E3

Ad Standards Council (Phil.)

CoverGirl NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara is a cosmetic product from the US which is sold internationally, including the Philippines.

In December 2011, advertisements for the said product were released to all countries selling CoverGirl cosmetics. Ads of the said product made claims of superior performance, including 2x more volume for lashes.

At the bottom of the page of every ad, there was a disclaimer (in very small font) that the endorsers lashes were digitally enhanced in post production.
The National Advertising Division (US) asked the company to substantiate and provide proofs for the claims made in the ads. Instead of providing evidences, CoverGirl cosmetics pulled out its international campaign for the said product.

LOreal
(Mother company of Lancome and Maybelline)

LOreal Photo Enhancement

 L'Oreal admitted post-production techniques had been used in its advert featuring Turlington to "lighten the skin, clean up make-up, reduce dark shadows and shading

around the eyes, smooth the lips and darken the eyebrows". However, the beauty firm said it believed the image accurately illustrated the results the product could achieve. It also said the flawless skin in the image of Roberts was down to her "naturally healthy and glowing skin", adding the product had taken 10 years to develop.

Business Logic
Target: Cosmetic Product Users/Consumers
Means: Using Photoshop to digitally enhance

the endorsers faces even if doing so doesnt show the actual effects of the products Ends: Sell make-up

Proof of Photo Enhancing

Unethical Issues
Ad Standards Council (ASC)
Standards of Advertising Code of Ethics

Established by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng

Pilipinas (KBP), Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA) and Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4As) to handle screening of all broadcast, OOH and print advertising and settlement of disputes regarding advertising content

Committee of Advertising Practices (CAP) and

Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP)

Use of Production Techniques in Cosmetics Advertising

Article II. Section 1 General Provisions

ASC Code of Ethics
Advertisements must be honest, truthful and accurate and created for the benefit of the consumer and general public. B. Advertisements should not be deceptive or mislead the public. C. Advertising of a product or service found by the appropriate government agency to be below standards or specifications or to be otherwise unsafe shall not be allowed.
A.

Unethical Issues
Cover Girl was deceptive

by digitally retouching and enhancing the eyelashes. Thus, misleading the consumers to the true effect of its product. For Loreal, they digitally retouched the face to look perfectly smooth and exaggerated the products effects on the skin.

Article II. Section 2.

Claims of Product/Service Properties or Characteristics

ASC Code of Ethics

A.

Unethical Issues
The eyelashes of the endorser of

Claims of product and service properties or their intended usage should be clearly presented and should not mislead the persons to whom they are addressed by inaccuracy, ambiguity, exaggeration or omission. The use or incorporation of a test or demonstration of a product or service property or characteristics must clearly, fairly, factually and accurately present the test or demonstration confirming the claimed product or service property or characteristic. The test or demonstration presented in advertisements must directly prove the claimed product or service property or characteristics.

B.

mascara was digitally enhanced. This action exaggerates the effect of the said product on a person resulting to a misleading advertisement.
The Maybelline ad shows the

effect of its eraser once applied on a persons skin. Again, this was digitally enhanced making the effect exaggerated and unreal. And thus, misleading consumers.

Article IV. Section 3. Before and After Comparisons

ASC Code of Ethics

A. Before and After

Unethical Issues
As we can see in the

situations must reflect truthful and factual comparisons. Comparisons of the antecedent situation with the subsequent situation must not be exaggerated or misleading.

Maybelline poster, you can see the before and after effect of the product, but the after effect in the ad was not solely due to the makeup. Again, the effect was misleading due to the digital enhancement.

Article V. Section 2. Data References

ASC Code of Ethics
A. Data references must

Unethical Issues
LOreal defended their

always be from results of a bona fide research, survey or tests.

actions of enhancing photos with survey results. However, they did not mention the source of their survey. No evidences to show the validity and reliability of the data were given.

Post Production Guidelines

CAP and BCAP Help Notes
The following are examples

Unethical Issues
From the video in Good Morning

America, Loreal revealed that likely to mislead and are they used photo retouching unacceptable: which apparently exaggerated Re-touching related to any characteristics directly relevant the effect of the product. to the apparent performance of the product being For Cover Girl, adding the advertised. volume and thickness to the Removing or reducing the appearance of lines and eyelashes of the endorser wrinkles around the eyes for an eye cream advertisement or through digital enhancement increasing the length or thickness of eyelashes in an directly misleads consumers as advertisement for mascara. to the actual performance of the product.

Ethical Implications
The fact that the endorsers faces were edited means that the products claims on the ads themselves are not realistic. The fact that the companies had to digitally enhance the photos in their ads makes the effectiveness and quality of the products

questionable.

Ethical Implications
Buyers are lured into buying the said products by

digitally enhanced ads without seeing the products actual and accurate effects on a persons skin by using the products on its own. Loreal still defended its digitally-enhanced ads (through some consumer test results) when in fact, the cosmetic products effects should stand on its own, without any digital enhancement, to show buyers what it really does when applied on the skin.

Ethical Implications
Since the companies did not specify how far the

photos were digitally enhanced and did not give the exact changes that were made in the photos, consumers are not able to have complete knowledge on what part of the ads are brought about by the product itself and which parts were just brought about by digital enhancements.

Remedies/Suggestions
Ads should be evaluated before release for the

public to view. The ad regulations should be strictly implemented and other penalties must be given to those who will not comply, aside from banning the ad. Use ads that show the actual effects of the cosmetics on a persons skin which are brought about by the product solely, without any digital enhancement.

Remedies/Suggestions
If any digital enhancement would be used, do

not use it on parts of the skin or face where the advertised products are supposed to be applied. The company should be more aware of the effects or message they send to the consumers in their ads.

Conclusion
Nowadays, it is usual that photos are being

edited for advertising purposes. However, companies should not go too far in enhancing images, to the point of enhancing or retouching parts that are directly related to the products claims in the ads. Covergirl misled the public by putting a small disclaimer that the eyelashes were enhanced. It was too small that the viewing public couldnt notice it at all. All necessary information must be fully and properly disclosed to the consumers.

Conclusion
Cosmetic companies should free themselves from the ignorance of ethical practices because they are misleading the public,

disabling people of their right to information, and they are creating an unrealistic norm of what is beautiful. Before releasing advertisements, cosmetic companies should counter-check the advertising guidelines and regulations.

Conclusion
The advertisements should show the effects

of cosmetic products truthfully by completely not digitally enhancing the faces of their endorsers. Self-regulation of advertising content must be promoted. However, governing bodies must also be meticulous ensuring that standards are being complied with.

Proofs to Photo Enhancing

Sources
http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/beauty/trends/a rticle/-/12424826/taylor-swift-ad-banned-forphotoshop/ http://www.asc.com.ph/download/ASC_Code _of_Ethics.updated_2010.pdf
http://www.premiumbeautynews.com/en/UK

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