ASA Adjudication on Easybuy UK

Ad

An ad in a national press supplement, for Easybuy Figure Shapers, featured two sets of photographs of women "before" and "after" wearing the product.

Issue

The complainant objected that the ad exaggerated the effect of the product because the models in the "before" and "after" photographs appeared to be different people.

CAP Code (Edition 11)

Response

Easybuy said the creative consultant who attended the photoshoot confirmed that the same model was used for both the "before" and "after" shots. They explained that the ad had been produced a few years previously and that the photographer had scant memory of the job. They did not provide any photographs from the shoot. They added that they had received no other queries about the product in five years and that everyone who bought it seemed to be very happy with it.

Assessment

Upheld

The ASA noted Easybuy did not provide photographs or other information about the photoshoot to prove that the "before" and "after" shots depicted the same model. We also noted the dissimilarity between the "before and "after" shots, in particular the set of photographs of a womans rear view which showed a substantial reduction in hip and waist width in the "after" shot. We considered that Easybuy had not provided evidence to show that those differences came from wearing the Figure Shaper rather than from a change of model or other alterations to the photographs. We concluded that the ad was likely to mislead.

The ad breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation) and 7.1 (Truthfulness)

Action

The ad must not reappear in its current form.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)