The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a television advert for Sanex shower gel after finding it suggested black skin is 'problematic' and white skin is 'superior'. The watchdog acted on two complaints that the ad perpetuated negative racial stereotypes.
The advert, broadcast in June, featured a voiceover saying 'To those who might scratch day and night. To those whose skin will feel dried out even by water' alongside images of a black woman with red scratch marks and another covered with a cracked clay-like material. It then showed a white woman showering with the product and stated: 'Try to take a shower with the new Sanex skin therapy... For 24-hour hydration feel.' The ad ended with 'Relief could be as simple as a shower.'
Colgate-Palmolive, owner of the Sanex brand, argued the ad did not perpetuate negative stereotypes, describing it as a 'before and after' effect that demonstrated inclusivity. Clearcast, which approves TV ads, also defended the commercial. However, the ASA said the use of different skin colours to portray a 'before and after' created a negative comparison, reinforcing the offensive stereotype that black skin is problematic and white skin is superior.
The ASA concluded the ad was likely to cause serious offence and must not appear again in its current form. The ruling follows a separate ASA plea for advertisers to avoid using unhealthily thin models in ads.
