The internet has spoken. A mere day after Pepsi released a controversial ad starring Kendall Jenner taking part in a protest reminiscent of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, the company has pulled the ad from the airwaves and apologized to everyone, including Jenner herself. In a statement released on Wednesday the company admitted the ad didn’t exactly express the message they had intended to spread:
“Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace, and understanding. Clearly, we missed the mark, and we apologize. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are pulling the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position.”
Pepsi's statement. pic.twitter.com/ge8uMcamGa
— Jennifer Maloney (@maloneyfiles) April 5, 2017
The widely mocked short-film spot was criticized for trivializing protest. Many also expressed their frustrations with the fact that the ad featured Keeping Up With The Kardashians reality star Kendall Jenner, someone who is not exactly known for her political stances, nor struggles. Pepsi initially came out in defense of the ad, releasing a statement to Teen Vogue that stressed the spot was meant to demonstrate an example of people coming together in the spirit of shared belief.
“The creative showcases a moment of unity, and a point where multiple story lines converge in the final advert. It depicts various groups of people embracing a spontaneous moment, and showcasing Pepsi’s brand rallying cry to ‘Live for Now,’ in an exploration of what that truly means to live life unbounded, unfiltered and uninhibited,”
(Via The Daily Beast)