Ad slammed for calling red hair and freckles 'imperfections'

Following the complaints, Match.com said it was considering removing the billboards. Photo / Twitter @eemilyjf

A dating site has been criticised for an advert calling freckles "imperfections".

The Match.com poster seen at London train stations features a red-haired freckly girl and is captioned "If you don't like your imperfections, someone else will."

Angry Katharine Longworth, of Manchester, tweeted: "I was saddened by the Match ads on the tube. Since when are freckles an imperfection?!"

Another person using the name Pammiegee said: "Disgraceful! Freckles are a sign of beauty! How to alienate half the UK!"

Dear @match,
Congratulations. What an impressive & educated tag line you've created. Thank you for outlining pic.twitter.com/cUVxya0HB0

— Emily Forbes (@eemilyforbes) April 10, 2016

Passers-by amended some posters, including one note reading: "This isn't an imperfection, it's a skin tone."

Righteous freckles activism. pic.twitter.com/uStGEQVWHr

— Nick Dastoor (@NickyD) April 11, 2016

Match.com said it was considering removing the billboards, adding: "We believe freckles are beautiful. We're sorry if this ad has been interpreted in a different way."

The Advertising Standards Agency had received about a dozen complaints by last night but was not yet investigating.

Thanks https://t.co/aJZcvXM0Ss. Lovely to learn I'm covered in "imperfections" #LoveYourImperfections pic.twitter.com/dQVTPquoar

— Fleur Bone (@FleurBone) April 11, 2016