There has been much hype of late about retouching in adverts and shoots. So much so that two advertising standards boards in the UK have released guidelines on what should and shouldn’t be done to an advertising image to avoid false advertising etc. For the time being these are only guidelines, and they cannot enforce them, but companies who do not comply might be open to criticism.
I personally have never really had a problem with it, as I feel they are aspirational. Readers always tell you that they want to see real people gracing the pages of glossy magazines, but they actually don’t. Magazines always get a good response to make-over and real people issues, but are then asked when they will be doing ‘normal’ shoots again. People like the idea of mere mortals being able to tread where only the glamazons dare to, but when it comes down to it, even they concede that a floor length McQueen gown does look better on a 6 foot, slender model than on 5 foot Joanne Blogs from where ever. And really, if you’re bleating about how retouched an image is, or that the model in a mascara advert is wearing false lashes, what exactly is the problem? You know all this, so why do you feel so dooped?
But having said that, I do feel that the quality of the retouching has gone a little down-hill, and models are beginning to look like extras from Mars Attacks. Retouching should be well done, and at least be believable.
With all this in mind, something quite remarkable has happened – the world’s first un-retouched foundation advert. Make-Up Forever’s HD High Definition Foundation advert has launched in the States to much acclaim.
I think it’s great, but then again, why wouldn’t a 17 year old with good skin sell a foundation?
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