Discount website Groupon has had to rethink its plastic surgery offer policy following heavy criticism from the Advertising Standards Authority.
The one day deal, which offered plastic surgery worth £5,000 for £1,999 and was sent out to Groupon subscribers in Manchester, was branded “irresponsible” as it “it encouraged recipients to hurry into a decision to purchase cosmetic surgery.”
Groupon claim to have addressed the ASA’s concerns by extending the deal period required for similar adverts. How very noble of them.
Now, I respect individual’s rights to augment their body should they so choose. But cosmetic surgery adverts are irresponsible at the best of times. All of those posters at the back of magazines, on the tube and even on television, erode any sense that paying large sums of money for someone to cut you up is not a normal thing to do. It is not. Hating your own body is not a normal thing to do. Feeling as if you might just be good enough if you can find cash enough subject yourself to the pain of someone chopping bits off you or stuffing new bits in to you is not a normal thing to do. The ASA “criticism” is not even close to going far enough. I would argue that – like cigarettes – all plastic surgery advertising is irresponsible and should not be permitted anywhere.
So while I don’t believe we have anything to thank Groupon for, I am glad they’ve reminded me of the fabulous Somewhat Strident campaign against cosmetic surgery advertising in London. We don’t have to put up with this rubbish, ladies. Let’s get our stickers on…
Photo from the awesome Uplift Magazine.
Busts 4 Justice 