Jo Swinson, Lib Dem MP, is known for her work on challenging perceptions of body image and promoting body confidence. Her recent complaints against two foundation ads (one for Maybelline and one for Lancome) were both upheld by the ASA for presenting unrealistic, digitally altered images. Former marketing executive, Jo worked in the Government Equalities Office on body image and the portrayal of women in advertising. It’s not clear whether Jo still sits on the Advertising Advisory Committee (part of the ASA) but she joined the organisation in 2016.
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ProActive+, an anti-acne range, has had their ad, starring Jorgie Porter, pulled by the ASA for implying that kids with spots may be more likely to be bullied than kids without. The ad was seen on The Disney Channel, amongst other places. This is just a prime example of brands and celebrities willingly using highly emotive techniques to sow the seeds of insecurity. It’s basically what the beauty industry is made of AND THEY PUT IT ON THE DISNEY CHANNEL! So many questions to so many people.
I’m feeling very sorry for the small start-up in Scotland making soap and bath bombs. They’re called The Naked Soap Company and the very word Naked has got L’Oreal opposing their trademark. Obviously, this is in connection with the right to use the word Naked within a beauty context because of the Urban Decay palettes of the same name. But unless UD were planning to imminently product bath bombs which somehow I highly doubt, I think the L’Oreal lawyers just need something better to do with their time in this instance.
Apparently, an eagle-eyed fan has spotted a trademark application for a skin care arm of Fenty Beauty. Bear in mind that Fenty belongs to Kendo (Marc Jacobs, Kat von D, amongst others) which in turn is an arm of LVMH (Dior, Guerlain etc) the brand is very well placed to produce some incredible skin care.
Back in the land of strange beauty related law suits, a Californian woman is insisting that her arm ignited after wearing Vaseline. I can’t even. I think maybe someone mentioned that it’s petroleum based and 2 + 2 = $$$.
Shiseido had to recall their Killer Wink eye liner after plastic splinters were found in the formula, thought to have happened during the filling process. Sales of the liner have been stopped, although I managed to find it very easily on Amazon and Ebay.
There are lots of questions on Twitter around The Pure Beauty Awards (for which I’ve been a judge in the past) and their inclusion of multiple MLM brands such as Arbonne, Temple Spa, Tropic and Forever Living. MLM stands for multi-level marketing (similar to although not quite the same as pyramid schemes). MLM companies come under fire from campaigners such as Timeless Vie for business models that are thought to be exploitative to women and it’s questionable that they’re included in an award arena with brands who don’t have thousands of self-employed reps who can vote as individual consumers. It’s something I’ve been doing a lot of reading on and it seems rare to find a happy MLM story.
One of Japan’s biggest selling organic hair care ranges, John Masters Organics, is apparently recalling 38 products due to ‘labeling’ issues (in Japan). Customers on social media have been complaining of added silicones, less organic content and an apparent mislabeling with vanilla extract over artificial fragrances.
Sources & Resources: ASA.com, The Telegraph, Cosmetics Business News, Popsugar, Timelessvie
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