Airbrushed images and the idealised images they portray are a long standing source of controversy in media and marketing news. Aside from examples obviously ripe for criticism – such as when Beyonce Knowles’ skin was lightened to a slight tan in a 2009 L’Oreal ad – there has been a longstanding debate on how the use of such images in the mass media affect concepts such as self-image, aesthetics and attainability.

Whilst the issue is far from new and periodically surfaces and subsides as each specific incident gains notoriety and public attention before fading into mute acceptance of standard practices, this past month has seen two new attempts at putting an end to the widespread use of airbrushing in the media.

The first group is the Girl Guides, who at the beginning of August petitioned the Prime Minister to help “to shape a generation of self-confident girls and young women.” The UK’s largest organisation for girls and young women said that airbrushed photos of celebrities and models in magazines should be labelled as such to prevent “damaging and unrealistic pressures” on women to meet a perceived aesthetic standard.

Liz Burnley of GirlGuiding UK, in conversation with BBC News, said that these “unobtainable ideals” were responsible for responses to a recent Girl’s Attitudes survey in 2009, which showed 50% of 16-21 year old girls would consider cosmetic surgery.

Their petition was then supported by a new campaign launched by Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson and Lynne Featherstone, the minster for equality and a long-time critic of media photo manipulation. The two MPs have recently launched the Campaign for Body Confidence, calling for the Advertising Standards Agency to change the advertising code so that airbrushed images are highlighted.

This marks a change in stance from Featherstone, who only a month earlier was reported by BBC news as saying she wanted to see an end to airbrushing or at least its undisclosed use – but had “no desire to impose regulation or restriction on advertisers or others.” The new campaign group will deliver evidence to ASA that argues these images cause “body dissatisfaction” among consumers, reports Brand Republic.

Following the Girl Guides petition, a spokesman from ASA told Sky News Online that airbrushing was “accepted creative practice” and that it only received a “small handful of complaints about airbrushing in ads.”

“Although this suggest it is not an issue of concern to the majority of consumers,” said the spokesman, “We take the complaints seriously and can and will act where necessary to have problem ads withdrawn.”

Whilst the controversy surrounding airbrushing may seem endless, this month has also seen direct action taken to put an end to the practice by one major name in high street modelling. Last week Debenhams announced that following a trial comparison of retouched and non-retouched images of a swim-wear model to consumers at its Oxford Street Store, it received “100% positive” feedback for the unaltered image.

As a result, Brand Republic reports that the department store has issued a set of strict guidelines for agencies working on its marketing material detailing when and where they can use airbrushing techniques. “Under no circumstances will we make models thinner or change their skin pigmentation,” a spokeswoman told the marketing news magazine.

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