UK Ad Watchdog Rules Helen Mirren’s L’Oreal Ad Is Not Misleading [VIDEO]

Dame Helen Mirren is beautiful even without digital enhancements, a UK watchdog ruled following complaints from viewers that the Academy Award winner did not look natural in a L’Oreal commercial. The Advertising Standards Authority stated the beauty company did not airbrushed Mirren’s wrinkles from the ad.

The 30-second ad for L’Oreal Paris Age Perfect moisturising cream, released in February, shows the 69-year-old English actress’ makeover from a timid lady to a confident woman using the beauty cream. There are several close-ups of Mirren’s face in the ad, which ends with the actress wearing a leather jacket and bold make-up.

The actress undoubtedly looks beautiful in the clip, but according to a viewer, her beauty was digitally altered. The complainant believed post-production techniques were used to alter her appearance, particularly the lines around Mirren’s mouth. The viewer claimed the ads, which include the press advert of the same product, “misleadingly exaggerated” the likely effect the product could give consumers.

In response, L’Oreal enclosed four images of “The Queen” star from her recent red carpet events appearances. This is to show that the ads were in line with such appearances when she had been professionally styled. The company also provided a list of the post-production techniques it used in the ads, none of which were used to alter Mirren’s wrinkles on her face or neck.

ASA sided with L’Oreal, saying that while it understood that the company and its production agency had done some retouching to present the ad in a professional and flattering manner, it did not see anything wrong with the adverts. The post-production works were minor and did not in any way affect the claims made for the product.

“We noted that wrinkles were clearly visible on Ms Mirren’s face in both ads, including across her forehead and around her mouth. We considered that the recent press images of Ms Mirren would have reflected a similar degree of professional styling and make-up as the images in the ad, without any post-production amendments, and that her appearance in the ads was comparable to those more candid images,” ASA wrote, concluding the ads were not misleading.