Pepsi’s latest ad featuring Kendall Jenner at a protest (no clues given as to what the protest is actually about) has been pulled.
Although it was only live for a matter of hours, people were incredibly frustrated by the ad, describing it as insensitive.
For anyone who hasn’t been briefed on the ad or seen it for themselves, here’s what went down.
Kendall leaves a photo shoot, takes off her blond wig, nods to fellow protestors, sees some Pepsi, offers it to a riot policeman who accepts it with this exchange captured by a young female Muslim photographer.
People were NOT happy.
can’t believe Kendall Jenner just solved institutionalized racism and oppression by giving a cop a pepsi. Groundbreaking
— kels (@Kelsiekinss) April 4, 2017
Kendall Jenner gives a Pepsi to a cop and rids the world of -isms. Y’all can go somewhere with this tone-deaf, shallow and over-produced ad. pic.twitter.com/CEr4cAw3Ld
— Taryn Finley (@_TARYNitUP) April 4, 2017
You can check it out for yourself below.
Kendall Jenner gives a Pepsi to a cop and rids the world of -isms. Y’all can go somewhere with this tone-deaf, shallow and over-produced ad. pic.twitter.com/CEr4cAw3Ld
— Taryn Finley (@_TARYNitUP) April 4, 2017
Due to the huge amount of negative backlash, Pepsi has decided to pull the advert with the following statement released on their behalf.
“Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly, we missed the mark, and we apologise. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are removing the content and halting any further rollout”.
