Pepsi Withdraws Its Controversial Commercial

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

After a wave of criticism, Pepsi has decided this Wednesday to withdraw its controversial commercial Kendall Jenner that aspired to be a song of harmony.

In the ad, the reality show star Keeping Up with the Kardashians (E!) Is seen giving a can of soda to a policeman stationed at a protest. When she gives the agent the soda, the protesters begin to applaud and cheer her on.

Although the cause of the march is not specified, critics of this advertising campaign point out that to sell a product it frivolously represents protests such as those generated by accusations of police violence against minorities that have rocked the country in recent years and that They have generated movements like Black Lives Matter.

In the commercial we see how the American model takes off her makeup and a wig during a photoshoot, throws it at an assistant and then goes outside to join this protest that draws her attention.

www.instagram.com/p/BRn9zi_DIrI/?taken-by=kendalljenner&hl=en

Others have compared Jenner's images to the well-known photo of African-American Ieshia Evans planted before riot officers during a protest in Baton Rouge over the death of Alton Sterling at the hands of the police.

Initially, the controversy made the ad a success on the networks, where it reached a million views in a few hours.

According to a Pepsi description, the video is "a short film about the moments when we decided to let things flow, when we decided to act, follow our passion and let nothing stop us."

A message that he specified in a later statement. "It is a global commercial that reflects people from different lifestyles who come together in a spirit of harmony, and we believe that this is an important message to express," he said.

The company added that the announcement was not intended to lightly portray serious business and apologized to Jenner, who has not spoken on the matter, for involving her in this controversy.