Much has been said about Pepsi’s decision to emulate imagery from the numerous high-profile protests we’ve seen in recent years for their latest ad. The backlash was almost immediate against the company and the ad itself was pulled only one day after its premiere. While some want to ask where brands fit within the protest conversation, there are others who feel that involving a brand is an easy way to cheapen whatever issue you’re fighting for. What did Pepsi aim to gain from their ad? A false pat on the back like Coke gets for their classic ad that became a plot point in Mad Men?
For Trevor Noah and the folks at The Daily Show, it was an excuse to make fun of Pepsi by asking why all brands don’t attempt to do the same thing. Join the conversation, as the signs in the Pepsi ad said. If the soda giant can draw comparisons to the iconic photo of Ieshia L. Evans being arrested in Baton Rogue, what’s stopping these other companies?
Toss some Crest into Tommie Smith and John Carlos’ hands in their legendary Olympics photo. Is Rosa Parks in the back of the bus not doing enough to sell transportation? Put her in the back of the Uber. And what better to truly sell Oreos than Nelson Mandela and Apartheid in South Africa? Noah might be onto something here.
On top of all that, Desi Lydic plays the Kendall Jenner role perfectly at the end of the segment and gets one last jab in at Pepsi.
(Via The Daily Show)
