Advertisment
The press advertisement featured a picture of a young woman with a surgical gloved hand placed on her head/forehead. The woman appeared to be having an injection into her forehead. The picture was accompanied by the following text:
“Sale
Anti-Wrinkle Injectable Clinic. Treats-fine lines and wrinkles
Why choose Therapie Clinic?
• Award Winning Doctors
• Over 100,000 treatments carried out
• Discreet & Ethical Consultations
Doctors Anti Wrinkle Clinic
1 Area only €120
2 Areas only €240
Special Offer – 3rd Area Free*
Call 1890 ..
Find out more about our treatments, visits www…
*Terms & conditions apply”
Complaint
The complainant considered the woman in the picture to have a flawless complexion and considered it misleading for the advertisers to use such a beautiful flawless model to promote the procedures advertised. The complainant posed two questions:
1. Were the advertisers implying that this is how the woman looked after attending the anti-wrinkle clinic or
2. Were the advertisers implying that the woman in the picture needed to have the procedure done?
Response
The advertisers failed to respond to the complaint.
Conclusion
Complaint Upheld
The Complaints Committee considered the details of the complaint and expressed their concern at the advertisers’ failure to respond in the matter. They reminded them that there is an onus on advertisers to ensure that their advertising is in conformity with the Code.
In the absence of a response from Therapie Clinic the Complaints Committee upheld the complaint under Section 2.7 of the Code.
Action Required:
The advertisement should not be used in its current format again.
