Ad description
A product listing for Dark Blue Power Stretch Denim Leggings on the NEXT website, seen on 19 September 2024. The ad featured a model wearing the leggings, sat on a wooden block. The model’s legs were extended closer to the camera.
Issue
The complainant, who believed the model appeared unhealthily thin, challenged whether the ad was irresponsible.Response
Next Retail Ltd t/a NEXT said that the ad was created with a strong sense of responsibility to both consumers and society. They aimed to represent their product in a way that was authentic and responsible, and they carefully considered all elements of the model’s presentation.
They said that the creative teams at Next were mindful of including a diverse range of models and used models ranging from slim to plus size. For that particular shoot, they considered that the model selected, while slim, had a healthy and toned physique that aligned with the nature of their product. They believed that her proportions were balanced, particularly considering her height, which was 5’9”. The intention was to showcase the leggings, which were available in a broad range of sizes, including extra-long length. The model wore the smallest size of the long range.In relation to the product “Dark Blue Power Stretch Denim Leggings”, the ad investigated was one of six images advertising the product online, including one image of the product on its own. The other images within the set were focused solely on the product. However, they considered that an image of the product on its own may have suggested a more loose-fitting style, which would be misleading to consumers. They provided other images of the leggings to support this claim.
They confirmed that they had not applied digital retouching to alter the model’s appearance, and that the leggings were not tailored to fit the model. However, they said that the image of the leggings was altered so that the leggings were brought further down towards the model’s ankle, on both of her legs. This was done without altering the appearance of the model’s proportions. They said that the model’s neutral expression and relaxed pose, in addition to her pose seated on a box, were chosen specifically to display the leggings’ fit on both straight and bent legs. The setup was selected to maintain focus on the product while avoiding any exaggeration of her body shape. The model’s posture was upright, relaxed, with toned arms visible – attributes that reinforced her healthy appearance.
They said that they understood that due to the model’s height and long limbs, her build could potentially be perceived as slender. However, they believed that her overall presentation conveyed a healthy figure. They noted that the loose-fitting t-shirt, showed a waist size that they felt represented a healthy, proportioned build. They said that the model’s leg was positioned in a natural pose to enable her to sit upright and in a comfortable pose. The tightness of the leggings was a characteristic of the product. The other leg was entirely straight, thereby showing how the leggings fit on both a straight and a bent leg.NEXT did not believe that the positioning of the model’s feet, nor the colour or style of the shoes, accentuated her slimness. They said that the model’s feet were proportionate to her height and noted that a further two of the six images in the product listing showed the model wearing the same shoes in other poses. They said that the style of the shoe was a suggestion on how the leggings could be styled.
They highlighted that Next’s Stylist & Product Image Manager met the model in person and did not have any concerns about her health.
Assessment
Upheld
The model was depicted in a relaxed pose, sat on a wooden block. The ASA acknowledged that the model’s face did not appear to be gaunt and her arms, while slim, did not display any protruding bones. The model’s left leg was bent at a right angle, with her thigh appearing to be the same width as her lower leg. We considered that the sharpness of the angle drew attention to the model’s knee, which was prominent underneath the tight-fitting leggings. The model’s right leg was extended out straight towards the camera. The shot appeared to have been taken from a lower angle, which we considered accentuated the length of the model’s legs. We considered that because the angle accentuated the model’s already tall physique, it further emphasised the slimness of the model’s legs. We understood that the leggings had been digitally altered to appear longer. The model’s feet, which were styled in red, pointed shoes, were positioned at the edge of the frame. We considered the colour of the shoes, which contrasted with the blue leggings and t-shirt, drew viewers’ attention to the model’s feet. The pointed shape of the shoes, as well as their positioning, further added to the impression of the model’s elongated legs, which accentuated their slimness.
We assessed the other images of the same model shown within the product listing. We noted in those photos that the model’s positioning, and the angle at which the photos were taken, was different to the ad subject to investigation, and that those differences had a visible impact on the appearance of the model’s body. We considered the model did not appear unhealthily thin in those images. Because the pose, camera angle and styling in the ad investigated strongly emphasised the slimness of the model’s legs, we considered that the ad gave the impression that the model was unhealthily thin.
For the above reasons, we concluded that the ad was irresponsible.The ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 1.3 (Social responsibility).
Action
The ad must not appear again in its current form. We told Next Retail Ltd t/a NEXT to ensure that the images in their ads were prepared responsibly and did not portray models as being unhealthily thin.
