Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi ad has gone viral for all the wrong reasons

2017

Update, 6 April, 10.00am: Pepsi has since issued an apology and removed the advert from circulation.

Many believed the apology to Kendall Jenner — rather than activists at large — to be a misstep.

Jenner has not yet issued a statement.

Original article: Pepsi has long been known as the inferior cola by some with taste buds, but it isn’t its product that has people upset this time.

Yesterday, the company released an advert starring Kendall Jenner that showed her at a vague protest making “peace” with police officers. And unfortunately for Pepsi, it missed its mark on both sides of the political equation.

Liberals on Twitter found the clip to be monopolising on an ongoing struggle and resistance, insinuating that peace can be found if protesters are just nicer to police. And more conservative-leaning people have criticised it for promoting protest action.

The commercial also made waves in South Africa. At 8.57am, Pepsi was trending second nationally as South Africans took to criticising the advert while still cracking signature jokes.

And, of course, everyone was making that joke.

Pepsi has yet to issue a statement, but did issue this comment to CNN Money:

“This is a global ad that reflects people from different walks of life coming together in a spirit of harmony, and we think that’s an import message to convey,” the company explains.

The video currently features over 860 000 views, but 12 500 dislikes.

Watch this space.

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