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On 24 July 2024, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a ruling against a cosmetic brand advertising through a video streaming service. The advert promoted the use of a deodorant and featured a woman who stated she was a breast cancer survivor. The ad was reported to the ASA due to the perception that the advert implied a link between traditional or other deodorant and breast cancer.
The ASA understood that references to the natural origin of the product and health-related messages should be taken in the context of the common misconception that ‘traditional’ deodorants or antiperspirants containing ingredients such as titanium dioxide and aluminium were seen as less natural and linked to breast cancer. The ASA reaffirmed that the suggested link was unproven. While the ad did not make explicit reference to the misconception, the ASA believed that is had been alluded to within the advert. In the absence of evidence that traditional deodorants and antiperspirants have a negative impact on health, including a risk of breast cancer, and that the product was a safer alternative, the ASA deemed the ad unsubstantiated and misleading.
The ASA determined that the advert breached the CAP code on several rules, including misleading advertising (3.1), substantiation (3.7) and comparisons with identifiable competitors (3.33) and must not appear again in the form complained about. Additionally, the ASA were explicit in their message to the company that they should not mislead consumers by implying that there was a link between competing products and breast cancer unless they held evidence to substantiate the claim.