Pepsi pulls in-house produced Kendall Jenner commercial after social media backlash
April 6 2017, 7:42 am | | 9 Comments
PepsiCo pulled a commercial featuring model Kendall Jenner after the ad prompted outrage and ridicule from those who said it trivialized rights protests and public unrest in the United States.
The in-house produced spot, released late on Tuesday, shows the fashion celebrity and reality TV star in a photo shoot when she sees protesters marching. Removing her wig and makeup, Jenner joins the crowd and hands a baseball cap-wearing police officer a can of Pepsi, prompting him to smile while marchers cheer and hug.
9 Comments
let this be a lesson to brands – the kardashians are only interesting on social media. a bit like being famous in a cupboard.
This is the best advertisement for having an agency that I’ve seen to date. Avoiding this type of insular work is exactly what agencies were created for. It is clear not one frame has has been touched by a voice of external reason. That said, its my favourite ad of the year.
Potentially the best ad for coke i’ve ever seen…
It’s not really Kendall’s or Kardashians fault.
It’s Pepsi trivialising the problems US or the world is facing right now.
That said, the commercial is very cheesy.
I have an award winning folio, and I enjoyed this ad. In my opinion it’s a convincing piece of communication; topical, has good energy to it with great music that’s just perfect for the concept e.g lyrics that celebrate a strong sense of activism ‘We are the lions, we are the chosen’. Perfect.
Not sure about the footage of Kendall K at 2:26 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA5Yq1DLSmQ though but still I think this is a really convincing ad that would resonate well with left wingers and socially conscious Gen Y types.
I’d say if they’d chosen a random female actor and not a Kardashian then the media would not be blowing up about this ad, and it would still be running.
The criticism in America is all very very self-serving – people looking to lift their profile as social commentators in the media. They are jumping on the bandwagon.
I believe there would be many people who like the ad (media, ad industry professionals) but they’re too scared to publicly say so considering the hysterical backlash.
I am particularly intrigued and amused by the ‘tone-deaf’ criticism. Exactly who is tone deaf? Kendall Jenner? She does not say a word. The singer? Well, has a great voice for sure.
It would be great to see someone who actually knows what they’re talking about, publicly support it. The problem with that however is that people would cynically think this person wants something from the Kendall family.
It’s a really good ad that’s had grenades thrown at it. The Director has done a great job – hope he or she gets more work.
I don’t think any A-lister will go near an ad about a topical social issue again any time soon unfortunately.
There’s nothing wrong with a brand, communicating something positive about a sensitive issue. In some ways to not is to deny it exists, which is weak.
I repeat, I really like this ad.
Anonymous Bloggers Lives Matter#
A perfect shitstorm of fake celebrity, normalised fascism and corporate insincerity. That the world didn’t eat it up with a spoon is very gratifying. Sad fact is, an agency would have made this concept work and we’d all be intellectually poorer for having swallowed it.
“it’s” my favourite ad of the year.
Well done E.
What the hell man? I hope you’re trolling but suspect not so here goes… Tone deaf refers to the intellectual tone, not the pitches spoken or sung. Fact is, Pepsi made an ad about being an activist and sticking it to The Man. Who is this man? He’s the kind of asswipe that kettles and pepper sprays people who are trying to make the world better. People who are trying to wrest back control of their lives from big corporations and corporate government i.e. the world’s major polluters and warmongers. The problem for Pepsi is that they are one of these big corporations and simply giving a fascist a beverage isn’t going to help anyone but the fascist corporation who makes the beverage. So Pepsi is telling the people who might want to protest against corporatism that the best way to do it is to buy their corporate stuff and use it for nothing at all. See how that’s incredibly patronising. Most people sense the falseness instantly, that’s why they hate this ad.
4:04pm – well thanks for clarifying ‘tone-deaf’ – my mistake.
Your comments following have me wondering whether you’re overthinking things too much.
Lets spare a thought for the asian violin player in this ad! hope he’s not being harrassed too much – perhaps a very short haircut and spectacles would help him fly under the radar and make his life less insufferable right now. Just a thought.