Hearts & Minds: Dealing with a bite from Adland’s watchdog

Next joins the rollcall of shame in having an ad banned by the Advertising Standards Authority. In the fashion retailer’s case, it was for showing a picture in which the model’s pose and camera angle made her look ‘unhealthily thin’. It’s an uncharacteristic black mark for the chain, not known for courting controversy - unlike some, who deliberately go out of their way to provoke a reaction.

For them selling an edgier image and being at the centre of a media storm goes with the territory. But for other CEOs and their comms teams attracting official ire is an uncomfortable experience. This case sits, too, in a particularly tricky area concerning thin models and healthy eating. It’s not a place where any corporate wants to be.

It does appear though to have been a mistake innocently made. There’s no doubt the model who is wearing slim-fit stretch denim leggings looks thin. The watchdog said it was made to emphasise the thinness of the legs, using camera angles, pose and styling that was ‘irresponsible’. Next said it disagreed, maintaining the model, while slim, had a ‘healthy and toned physique’. They insisted that the 5’9” model’s pose was chosen ‘specifically to display the leggings' fit on both straight and bent legs’, and that the image, which was shot nearly two years ago, was created with a ‘strong sense of responsibility’. Next said their stylist and product image manager met the model in person and ‘did not have any concerns about her health’.

The ASA helped Next in this regard, acknowledging the model's face ‘did not appear to be gaunt and her arms, while slim, did not display any protruding bones’. Next did admit, however, it had digitally altered the appearance of the leggings by bringing them down further towards the model's ankle on both legs. This ought to be a red flag for any comms advisors: retouching a picture is something journalists love to highlight. It’s regarded as a no-no, to be abhorred and outed - not without a certain irony as they do it all the time in their own titles but try and avoid getting caught.

Next can relax. The real test of the furore and subsequent reputational damage is how many complaints the ad attracted. Typically they can run into the several thousands. Here, and  the number is tellingly buried in the coverage if there’s any mention at all, it was the grand sum of one.

Chris Blackhurst is one of the UK’s foremost business journalists. He was previously Editor of The Independent and City Editor of the Evening Standard.