The company initially defends the new commercial but later backtracks on its statement as criticisms continue to grow.
- Apr 6, 2017
AceShowbiz - Pepsi has removed its new commercial starring Kendall Jenner after it was accused of appropriating the resistance. "Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly, we missed the mark, and we apologize," the company said.
The brand was initially defensive, "The creative showcases a moment of unity, and a point where multiple storylines converge in the final advert. It depicts various groups of people embracing a spontaneous moment, and showcasing Pepsi's brand rallying cry to 'Live For Now,' in an exploration of what that truly means to live life unbounded, unfiltered and uninhibited."
The explanation, however, fell on deaf ears. In fact, many celebrities joined the backlash. "This Pepsi ad is so unrealistic. Those protesters would have been Dr. Pepper Sprayed," Stephen Colbert deadpanned. Samantha Ronson sums up her reaction to the offensive ad, "Nah bro."
Nyle DiMarco commented, "While this campaign is wrong, calling this ad 'tone-deaf' is also degrading for us Deaf people." Patton Oswalt tweeted, "J. Edgar Hoover takes aim from the grassy knoll. The motorcade approaches. He fires. JFK raises a #Pepsi to his lips, blocks the bullet."
Pepsi later backtracked on its statement, "We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are pulling the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position."
Pepsi is not the only one facing criticisms. Nivea is also slammed for its racially-insensitive "white is purity" tagline. "We are deeply sorry to anyone who may take offense to this specific post. After realizing that the post is misleading, it was immediately withdrawn," the company says.
