The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a recent Sanex television advert after ruling it reinforced negative racial stereotypes by suggesting white skin was superior to black skin. The commercial, aired in June 2025, featured a black woman with red scratch marks and another depicted with cracked, clay-like material on her skin. The sequence was followed by a white woman showering with Sanex’s Skin Therapy product as a voiceover promoted its “24-hour hydration feel.”
Two complainants argued the visuals implied that darker skin was “problematic and uncomfortable,” while white skin was shown as smooth and clean after using the product. The ASA agreed, concluding that the ad’s structure risked reinforcing harmful stereotypes about race. “Although we understood that this message was not the one intended, we considered that the ad was likely to reinforce the offensive racial stereotype that black skin was problematic and that white skin was superior,” the watchdog said.
Colgate-Palmolive, which owns Sanex, defended the campaign, stating that the ad was designed to showcase diverse models in a ‘before and after’ scenario to demonstrate the product’s effectiveness across all skin types. The company said it did not believe the advert perpetuated negative stereotypes or was likely to cause widespread offence. A Sanex spokesperson added: “Our advert was intended to highlight how our Skin Therapy range supports healthy skin across a variety of skin types. At Sanex, our mission is to champion skin health for all.”
Despite the defence, the ASA upheld the complaints and ruled the advert must not be shown again. The regulator instructed Colgate-Palmolive to take greater care to avoid causing serious offence on the grounds of race in future advertising.
