A shower gel advert has been banned after the short video implied "white skin was superior to black skin".
The advert for Sanex shows two models with dark skin, one has itchy skin and the other has dry skin, followed by a white woman with no skin problems.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has now upheld two complaints against the advert, which the company said was part of its commitment to diversity.
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The ad, seen in June, included a voiceover that said: "To those who might scratch day and night. To those whose skin will feel dried out even by water."
Included alongside were scenes of a black woman with red scratch marks and another model covered with a cracked, clay-like material.
Alongside scenes of a white woman taking a shower with the product, the ad then stated: "Try to take a shower with the new Sanex skin therapy and its patented amino acid complex. For 24-hour hydration feel."
The ad ended with on-screen text and the voiceover stating: "Relief could be as simple as a shower."
A screenshot from the now banned Sanex advert showed the model with scratched skin
|ASA VIA PA
The advert showed a black model with cracked skin
|PA
Colgate-Palmolive, which owns the Sanex brand, said the depiction of diverse models in the ad, either experiencing skin discomfort or post-product relief, was shown in a "before and after" scenario to show their product was suitable and effective for all, rather than as a comparison based on race or ethnicity.
On that basis, it believed the ad did not perpetuate negative racial stereotypes and was not likely to cause serious or widespread offence.
Clearcast, which approves or rejects ads for broadcast on television, said the ad did not perpetuate negative racial stereotypes and instead demonstrated the product’s inclusivity.
The agency said one model with darker skin was depicted in a "stylised and unrealistic way" to demonstrate dryness, but her skin tone was otherwise not a focal point.
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The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled the ad must not appear again
|PA
A second model, also with darker skin, was shown with itchy skin, but this was portrayed through scratching visibly healthy skin and the resulting marks, and was therefore more about sensation than any visible skin condition.
However, the ASA said the use of different skin colours was a means of portraying a "before and after" of the product’s use, which created a juxtaposition of black skin shown as itchy, dry and cracked in the "before" scenes, and white skin shown as smoother skin in the "after" scenes.
An ASA spokesman said: "Although we understood that this message was not the one intended and might appear coincidental or pass unnoticed by some viewers, we considered that the ad was likely to reinforce the negative and offensive racial stereotype that black skin was problematic and that white skin was superior.
"We concluded that the ad included a racial stereotype and was therefore likely to cause serious offence."
A spokesman from Sanex told BBC News: "We take note of the ASA Council's ruling.
"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, which is portrayed across our brand communications."