Sanex shower gel ad banned for racial stereotype concerns
A television advert for Sanex shower gel has been banned in the UK after regulators ruled it reinforced an offensive racial stereotype. The Advertising Standards Authority, known as the ASA, received complaints about the commercial, which aired in June, and decided it should not be shown again in its current form.
So here’s what happened. In the advert, two models with darker skin are shown first. One is scratching her arm, leaving bright orange marks across her skin, while another is covered in cracked, clay-like material. A voiceover speaks to “those who might scratch day and night” and “those whose skin will feel dried out even by water.” After this, the scene switches to a white model showering, with her skin depicted as smooth, problem-free, and refreshed. The voiceover then promotes the product’s “patented amino acid complex” for 24-hour hydration, followed by the tagline: “Relief could be as simple as a shower.”
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The problem, according to the ASA, was how the imagery and sequencing came across. The ruling explained that the way darker skin was shown as dry, cracked, or uncomfortable, while the white skin appeared healthy and smooth, created an implication that white skin was superior. Even though the watchdog accepted that this wasn’t the company’s intention, it said the structure of the ad meant it risked reinforcing negative racial stereotypes. Because of that, it was banned under the UK’s broadcasting code.
Colgate-Palmolive, the owner of Sanex, defended the advert. The company said the models were chosen to show inclusivity and to demonstrate how the product could work for different skin types. They insisted it was designed to represent a “before and after” transformation, not to compare different ethnicities. Sanex added that its mission has always been to support healthy skin for everyone, and that the ad was meant to highlight that diversity, not undermine it.
Clearcast, the body that normally approves or rejects adverts before they air on television, also stood by the ad. They argued that one of the darker-skinned models was portrayed in a stylised and artistic way to represent dryness, rather than her natural skin tone being a focal point. They believed the ad did not perpetuate harmful stereotypes but instead showed inclusivity.
Still, the ASA made clear that advertisers must take greater care. Even if a message is unintentional, the regulator said, adverts that could be interpreted as suggesting racial superiority or inferiority risk causing serious offence. Colgate-Palmolive was warned to avoid repeating the mistake in any future campaigns.
This ruling highlights the fine balance advertisers must strike. Brands may want to showcase diversity, but the way imagery is presented—and the sequence of how it’s shown—can completely change the message that viewers take away. In this case, what was intended as a demonstration of skin hydration was received as a racial comparison, and that has ultimately led to the ad being pulled from television.
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