Marks & Spencer advert banned for including ‘unhealthily thin’ model

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has now banned the advert following complaints about the model’s appearance.

The ASA received four complaints but only upheld one.

The report by the authority said the pose and stance of the model made her body appear thin, with large pointed shoes emphasising “the slenderness of her legs”.

It said: “Further to that, in part due to the camera angle, which appeared tilted downwards, 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.”

In response to the report, M&S said: “The model’s pose was picked to convey confidence and ease and it was not designed to accentuate her slimness. Further to that, her shoes had only been chosen for stylistic and fashion purposes.”

The retailer said its women’s wear included a full range of sizes from eight to 24, and said it takes body image depictions in its adverts “very seriously”.

Following the complaint, M&S said it had changed the adverts and removed specific images.

The decision by the ASA follows similar situations earlier this year. Next, Mango and Warehouse have each received complaints and bans over adverts relating to body image.