L’Oréal has been condemned for producing “misleading” mascara ads featuring Penelope Cruz.
The TV and magazine ads boasted that women could have up to 60 percent longer eyelashes with its Telescopic mascara.
The Hollywood star’s voice promised: “Lashes that could reach for the stars.”
But a sharp-eyed viewer suspected the actress was wearing false lashes to exaggerate the length of eyelid hair produced by the product.
She protested to the Advertising Standards Authority, who upheld her complaint.
It found the TV commercial misleading and said the magazine advert failed to be accurate and true. During the investigation, the French company admitted that the star had been wearing individual false lashes.
The ASA has ordered L’Oréal to add a disclaimer to future adverts whenever models are shown wearing false lashes.
It also told the firm to make it clear that its “60 percent” claim referred to the appearance of the lashes – not to an actual extension in the length that could be achieved by using the mascara.
L’Oréal told the ASA its product made the tips of lashes more visible, giving a lengthening effect.
It said: “Penelope Cruz was wearing a few individual false lashes inserted into her natural lashes to fill in the gaps in her natural lashes for a consistent standard of lashes.”
A signed affidavit from the star and her make-up artist supported this.
The Telescopic mascara was applied on top.
In its ruling, the ASA said it was concerned that the adverts failed to make it clear that lashes would “appear” up to 60 percent longer.
It added: “We concluded that, in the absence of a disclaimer stating that Penelope Cruz was wearing some individual false lashes added to her natural lashes, and because the ad did not make clear that the claim referred to an increase in the ‘appearance’ of lash length, the ads could mislead.”
(source)
