Ad description
A post on the Facebook page of Schuh, a footwear retailer, seen on 8 September 2021, featured a model wearing a patterned pink and orange top and skirt, a green jacket and white chunky sandals.
Issue
The complainant, who believed the featured model appeared unhealthily thin, challenged whether the ad was irresponsible.Response
Schuh Ltd said that they always considered which models they featured in their ads, as well as aiming to be truly inclusive in all areas.
Facebook said they had no comments, but if the complainant believed the ad was in violation of their policies they could report it to them via their standard reporting channels.
Assessment
Not upheld
The ASA acknowledged that the model was slim, and we considered that her pose and the style of clothing she was wearing emphasised her slenderness. In particular, her legs appeared disproportionately long in the shot, which was emphasised by the chunky platform shoes she was wearing, the positioning of her cardigan and handbag at her waist emphasised the slimness of her waist, and her oversized sunglasses made her face appear smaller. However, we considered her upper body and face appeared to be in proportion and she did not seem gaunt or unwell. Overall, we considered that, although the model was slim, she did not appear to be unhealthily thin or significantly underweight and therefore concluded that the ad was not irresponsible.
We investigated the ad under CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 1.3 (Responsible advertising), but did not find it in breach.
Action
No further action necessary.
