How could anyone have possibly thought that was a good idea? That’s a mystery.
Use the pain and struggles of people to make money.
On Tuesday, April 04th, Pepsi released its new video ad featuring the reality Star and model Kendal Jenner who is seen participating in a photo shoot and becomes distracted by a group of protesters. Before joining the crowd, she rips off her blonde wig, wipe her lipstick off, casts off her couture and join the marchers, which approaching a line of police officers. Toward the end, she offers one of the police officer a Pepsi; he accepts the drink before cracking a smile; he does not pepper-spray, beat, shoot or arrest anyone.
The final scene of the ad was the last straw that broke the camel’s back: Kendal Jenner standing in front of those officers. This is a direct reference to one of the defining images of the BLM movement: a iconic photograph of Iesha Evans, a 28 year old nurse who stood tall in the face of heavily armored riot police during a BLM protest following the shooting of Alton Sterling.
Pepsi even said after the outcry in a statement to CNN: “This is a global ad that reflects people from different walks of life coming together in a spirit of harmony, and we think that’s an important message to convey.” You definitely missed the mark.
It was no surprise that the video received a lot of criticism on social media. Pepsi was clearly appropriating the Black Lives Matter movement and using social justice to sell soda. Like really!
This ad not only diminishes the seriousness and the gravity of that protest but also undermines the entire movement Black Lives Matter. If they want to send a message of peace, love and harmony, they should use less controversial issues or just come up with better ideas.
We never saw an ad featuring Holocaust, Chernobyl disaster, etc. so why trivialize black people issues?
After the Nivea ad with the white supremacist tagline “white is purity”, we didn’t need this one.
Pepsi has since apologized, but… that’s just too easy.
Why did they do it in the first place?
@MadameNana
Mad'moiselle Tasha 