Ads for six providers of liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs) have been banned for trivialising the risks of the procedures and exploiting women’s insecurities around body image.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said each of the Facebook and Instagram ads for cosmetic providers Beautyjenics, Bomb Doll Aesthetics, Ccskinlondondubai, EME Aesthetics, Dr Ducu, and Rejuvenate Clinics, irresponsibly pressured consumers into booking the treatments.
A liquid BBL, also known as a non-surgical BBL, involves the injection of a dermal filler into the bottom to enhance its volume and shape.
The paid-for Facebook ad for Beautyjenics, seen in October, read: “Bringing our liquid BBL to the North … Manchester … Limited space available 14th-16th October … Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to get that perfect peachy look!”
The ASA said guidance from the Joint Council for Cosmetic Procedures said liquid BBLs are considered to be surgical procedures, which carry a level of risk.
The watchdog said: “Undertaking cosmetic surgery should have been portrayed as a decision that required time and thought from consumers before proceeding, because of the risks involved.”
It added: “We considered that consumers could have been rushed into making a decision to have cosmetic surgery without taking sufficient time to consider the consequences.
“Because the ad created a sense of undue urgency to book a cosmetic procedure quickly, we considered that it had not been prepared in a socially responsible manner and therefore breached the Code.”
An ad for CCskinlondondubai that has been banned by the ASA. (ASA/PA)
The ASA further found that the ad risked exploiting women’s insecurities around body image, particularly those with insecurities relating to their body shape, concluding that it was irresponsible.
Bomb Doll Aesthetics, Ccskinlondondubai, EME Aesthetics, Dr Ducu and Rejuvenate Clinics offered time-limited Black Friday deals, which the ASA said pressured consumers into booking the procedures.
Beautyjenics, Bomb Doll Aesthetics and Ccskinlondondubai did not respond to the ASA’s inquiries.
The Rejuvenate Clinics ad banned by the ASA. (ASA/PA)
Rejuvenate Clinics said it has reviewed ASA guidance and will remove all references to time-limited offers and state in ads that the surgery is carried out by a medical professional with ultrasound to minimise risks and enhance safety.
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EME Aesthetics said all its clients are given a full consultation and are under no obligation to book any procedures, and it therefore considers that its ad had not pressured consumers or trivialised the risks of cosmetic procedures.
Dr Ducu said it will ensure it follows the ASA’s rules and guidance, that the time-limited Black Friday offer was intended to provide consumers with an opportunity to access the company’s services at a discounted rate, and it always encourages consumers to make informed decisions without pressure.
The ASA said: “In each case, we found that the ads irresponsibly pressured consumers into booking, and trivialised the risks of, liquid BBLs or exploited women’s insecurities surrounding body image.
“These rulings form part of a wider piece of work on ads for liquid BBLs, identified for investigation following intelligence-gathering by our Active Ad Monitoring system, which uses AI to proactively search for online ads that might break the rules.”
