Marks and Spencer (M&S) faced scrutiny as their recent advertisement has been banned over the use of what was deemed an ‘unhealthily thin’ model. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK received several complaints regarding the model featured in a lingerie campaign, alleging that her appearance could promote an unhealthy body image.
The banned ad displayed the model leaning forward, emphasizing her rib cage, and wearing a bra and underwear set from the retailer. Critics argued that the model’s thin frame could potentially encourage eating disorders and unhealthy body standards among viewers.
M&S defended their choice of model, stating that she is a healthy size and that her waist measurement meets the World Health Organization’s standards for health. They emphasized that they were committed to promoting positive body image and did not believe the ad was irresponsible or harmful.
The ASA acknowledged M&S’s position but ultimately ruled in favor of the complainants, stating that the model’s pose drew attention to her rib cage and created a visual impression of her being underweight. As a result, the advertisement was deemed irresponsible and banned from appearing again in its current form.
This decision has sparked conversations about the fashion industry’s responsibility to promote diverse body types and the potential impact of using extremely thin models in advertising campaigns.
Sources Analysis:
ASA – The Advertising Standards Authority is a regulatory body in the UK that oversees advertising standards. It has a history of intervening in cases where ads are deemed misleading or harmful. In this situation, the ASA’s goal is to ensure responsible advertising practices and protect consumers.
M&S – Marks and Spencer is a well-known retailer with a stake in the matter due to the banned advertisement. Their interest lies in defending their brand image and advertising decisions. By arguing that the model is healthy, they aim to maintain their reputation and customer perception.
Fact Check:
The use of an ‘unhealthily thin’ model in the M&S ad – Unconfirmed claims. While complaints were made about the model’s appearance, determining her actual health status from a visual advertisement is subjective and cannot be definitively verified.
The ASA ruling to ban the M&S ad – Verified facts. The ASA confirmed that they received complaints about the ad and ultimately decided to ban it due to the potential promotion of unhealthy body standards.
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Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “M&S ad banned over ‘unhealthily thin’ model”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.