False Advertising?

I recently got posed a question that was suggested I turn it into a blog post. The question was

"Are the lashes in Cosmetic Mascara Ads real or fake? How can they get away with that sort of advertising?"

Many of you have seen this and know what I am talking about. See below for the following images: 

Maybelline Volume Express The Falsies Mascara

Penelope Cruz Advertisement for L'Oreal Paris Telescopic mascara

Eva Longoria for L'Oreal Volume Millions De Cils

M.A.C Plush Lash Mascara

How many of you have bought mascara because it promised that you could get lashes like these models/celebrities? Maybe that wasn't your ONLY reason you bought it, but most of the time the advertisements have a lot to do with your decision. You want a black, lengthening, volumizing, water proof mascara and you think " well I love M.A.C products and the artist in the store look amazing all the time, if I buy this mascara, I can look like them too." 

Or something along those lines. I bet none of you truly believe everything you hear. 

But how can they get away with this blatant false advertising. In everyone of these ads, you can tell the model is wearing false lashes. Who on earth has 1.5" long and perfectly curled upward lashes? (I've met a few girls actually who have. But they are rare. Also weird, I have met SO many men who have infinitely longer and more curled lashes than most women. It's so not fair!) The companies can get away with this by just instructing the MUA (makeup artist) to use a small amount of the actual product, and then they can use whatever they feel like to get the look the client wants. So they can just do one coat of The Falsies mascara on the model, and then use their Diorshow, Lancome Hypnose, or whatever expensive mascara they have to finish the eyelashes. Then the add either individual or strip false lashes as close to the waterline as possible so as to insinuate that the mascara created that look. 

So TECHNICALLY, yes, the advertised product was used. But most of us know that isn't what created that look. Fake lashes did. 

Now many of these cosmetic companies have gotten into trouble. According to the Daily Mail (UK) dated June 1st of last year:

The print commercial for LashBlast Volume promises a false lash effect. However a small print disclaimer running alongside the image states that lash inserts were applied to Miss Fox's eyes before the product was applied. 

The disclaimer is at complete odds with the copy in the ad, which reads: Is your volume true? Or false? LastBlast gives you true volume.

Disclaimer states: 'If your mascara promises volume but delivers clumps - that's false! True volume comes from our big brush, not from big clumps. Try LastBlast Volume for yourself. You may never go "false" again.'

 

The small print, however, which is barely visible in the bottom left-hand side on the model's neck, reads: 'Lash inserts were applied to both of Nicole’s lashes to add lash count before applying mascara.'

(Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1392461/CoverGirl-admits-using-false-lashes-ad-false-lash-effect-mascara.html#ixzz1z1L2o0eY)

 

 

To the bottom left corner of left page, there is a small amount of writing. That is their disclaimer. It's SO big, I'm surprised you missed it.  Again it states, " 'Lash inserts were applied to both of Nicole’s lashes to add lash count before applying mascara.'" 

 

These companies can be held responsible by the FTC and the National Advertising Division of the Council of Business Bureaus. Another example is of the Taylor Swift Covergirl (again!)  NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara. 

You can read the whole article here:  http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2011/12/procter-gamble-pulls-photoshopped-taylor-swift-mascara-ad/ 

Basically, Covergirl got busted.  AGAIN!

But, there are great mascaras out there. I'm not bashing any of these mascaras by any means. I'm just saying don't expect to turn into Taylor Swift, Eva Longoria, or Penelope Cruz just by using the mascara they endorsed. They got paid big bucks to endorse it.

What do you all think about this? Have you ever been so misled by a product's advertisement that you were extremely disappointed when you got home? Or vice versa? A product that did exactly what it said it would? I'd love to hear which products you love and which disappoint you!

That's it for today class. Hope you took notes. There will be a quiz. 

Just kidding! 

XOXO,

Amelia St. John