Here I am again, writing about more drama on the Internet.
This time, Pepsi came under fire this past Wednesday for their newly released
ad featuring public figure Kendall Jenner.
In the ad, Jenner is seen modeling in a photo shoot in the
city and then notices the group of protestors. She decides to join them and
dramatically rips off her blonde wig. Towards the end of the commercial she walks up
to a policeman and hands him a Pepsi and gets him to start smiling.
All within a couple of viewings, the social media world blew
up accusing Pepsi of mocking the Black Lives Matter movement and using social
justice to sell a can of pop.
Users also compared the ad scene to that of photos of Ieshia
Evans, a protestor in Baton Rouge following the shooting of Alton Sterling, who
was iconically photographed before being detained.
I can see Pepsi’s logic in trying to use a relevant scenario
in their ads, however my biggest argument with Pepsi is why did they use
Kendall Jenner in this ad out of all people?
Jenner does not have any relevancy and has not had a voice
in the wake of protests and law enforcement disagreements. Her brand is a rich
young woman famous for being part of the infamous Kardashian family clan in
which many people have an bad image of.
Sure, Jenner would bring a lot of attention to the ad because
she’s a public figure, however Pepsi should have thought twice about what kind
of image the public would have of her being in a sensitive ad.
A day after the ad was released, Pepsi made an announcement
that they pulled the controversial ad.
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