Model sues Estée Lauder over anti-aging ad claims
In the lawsuit the 35 year old claims that using her image to advertise an anti-aging product line aimed at women aged 45 – 60 years made her look ‘old’, potentially damaging her career.
The model is suing Estée Lauder for $2 million, alleging that the image was used to promote the Plantscription serum under the Origins brand without her formal authorization.
Forsling claims the ad has 'irreparably' damaged her career
In the official court documents the model claims that her career has been ‘irreparably’ damaged by a poster ad campaign in the US market that depicted her with minimal make-up and visible wrinkles.
The image was used to promote the efficacy of the Plantscription anti-aging line, with one side of the model's face clearly showing heavier lines and wrinkles, marked as the ‘before’ shot, while the ‘after’ shot shows less wrinkles.
The ad claims that the product can lead to fewer visible signs of aging in just four weeks by visibly repairing four key signs of aging; reduces wrinkles, sagging skin, smoothes uneven skin texture and makes skin appear more radiant and youthful - as demonstrated by the 'after' shot.
Model claims she was unaware of how the photos would be used
In the court filing, Forsling’s lawyers argue that the shoot was for a different company within the Estée Lauder group, and included a test shot in which she was wearing very little or no make-up.
Forsling states in the court papers that she was not informed that the test shot used for the 'before' image would be used in any kind of publicity for the company’s brands.
The lawsuit states: "Defendants did not disclose in the Plantscription ad . . . that Forsling never used Plantscription, that Forsling is not aged 45-60 or that the so-called 'dramatization' of the product did not result from the use of the product by Forsling, but rather reflected [their] manipulation of a photograph,"
