Recently, a television commercial for Pepsi products was released, which caused controversy on the Internet over the past couple of weeks. The ad featured reality T.V. star/model, Kendall Jenner, and portrayed an imitation of the recent protests and marches that have been happening across our country. While Pepsi’s goal was to create an image of peace and unity among all by bringing many groups of people together, almost no one received it that way. According to an article titled “Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner Ad Was So Awful It Did the Impossible: It United the Internet” written by Angela Watercutter, the ad did just that: united the Internet against Pepsi and their misrepresentation of protests across the country.
The ad began with Kendall Jenner modelling at a photo shoot. When she realizes that there is a protest going on in the streets, she rips off her wig, ditches her photo shoot, and joins the protest. After a brief moment of cheering with her fellow protesters, Jenner approaches a stoic police officer and hands him a Pepsi. He cracks it open and (poof!) just like that, Pepsi had brought everyone together in peace and unity. The protesters cheer and the police officers laugh.
There are numerous problems with this ad. While in a perfect world a Pepsi could have the ability to bring an entire nation together, we do not live in such a world. Although Pepsi thought that they were promoting the idea of world peace, the way they went about this commercial was distasteful. Not only does the ad make light of recent protests that have been happening all over our country, it also implies that all of our country’s problems could be fixed with simple things, such as a Pepsi. The message that this ad gives off is this: the recent Women’s Marches, Black Lives Matter Protests, and demonstrations outside Trump Tower “would have been much more effervescent – and effective! – if someone had just brought some soda," (Watercutter). It is demeaning and belittling to those who have worked so hard to make their voices heard in our country.
After much backlash from the public, Pepsi withdrew their ad and made a public apology for the inappropriate message the commerical sent. Jenner, on the other hand, remained silent throughout the entire blowup and has never commented on the negative reactions that the commercial caused. In her article, Watercutter says “[A]ctivist DeRay Mckesson called it ‘trash’, adding ‘[I]f I had carried Pepsi I guess I never would’ve gotten arrested. Who knew?’”
Although the idea was one that came from good intentions, Pepsi really missed the mark with producing this ad. Making light of recent cultural events was not the right avenue to take – unfortunately, they did not catch their mistake until the entire Internet did.
