Pepsi debuted their new ad ‘featuring’ Kendall Jenner and everyone is losing their shit, but not in a good way.
Obviously trying to be one of the ‘cool kids’ Pepsi’s new ad is centered around protesting, because there isn’t anything American teens love more than protesting….. Except Kendall Jenner (said someone at Pepsi probably at some point). Do we know if anybody at the Pepsi marketing team has even met a teen before? Ever?
“You know who comes to mind when I think protesting for equal rights and opportunities? Kendall Jenner.” – Pepsi.
— Cyrus (@Cyrus_VGZ) April 5, 2017
Now Pepsi might have had their heart in the right place trying to comment on current social issues but the execution was so off that it only seemed to add to the problem, while twitter of course had a field day pointing out everything that’s wrong with the 30 second ad. Honesty, how can you possibly get so much wrong in only 30 secs?
@KrisJenner @KendallJenner @pepsi Who at @Pepsi woke up this morning and decided it was a good idea to piss off nearly every demographic know to man?
— Andrew H. Scott (@CommissionerKY) April 4, 2017
How I imagine the @Pepsi executives right before they decided to make this ad with Kendall Jenner. pic.twitter.com/NcQIxHJVJq
— Zie (@ZieNYC) April 4, 2017
The ad is so bad that even the extras on set knew when filming how problematic this ad was. LOOK at their faces.
The Wall Group via Instagram: “#BTS of #KendallJenner on set of the new @pepsi campaign. (…)” pic.twitter.com/sPMM4P0kVQ
— Kendall Updates (@knjdaily) April 4, 2017
We first see a blonde Jenner in the middle of a fashion shoot, which is conveniently on the same street as the protest, get winked at by a passing man in the crowd which only then inspires her to join the protest; not before smirking because SHE knows how to end racism, she knows the secret to world peace…. Its Pepsi guys!
how nice of Kendall Jenner to stop in the middle of her photo shoot to end social injustices by giving that cop a Pepsi ? MLK who? Rosa who?
— reggie (@1942bs) April 4, 2017
I AM SCREAMING pic.twitter.com/3aWFdvmz5j
— reggie (@1942bs) April 4, 2017
In the ad Pepsi not only bastardises the situation of racism and police brutality, but also the symbolism of the colour blue, which has been used as recently as the 2017 Oscars to convey solidarity with ACLU. Pepsi completely strips the symbolism of all meaning, with generic signs featuring the peace sign everywhere and one legible sign reading “join the conversation”, in order to promote their soda.
The ad embarrasses itself more by likening Jenner to a super hero who ‘transforms’ from rich super model by day to activist and global peace unifier by night with just the removal of her blonde wig. Jenner then joins the protest because like Hannah Montana, she’s just a normal girl without the blonde wig. Fueled by the liberation Pepsi so obviously bestows, Jenner then takes it upon herself to approach a cop – miraculously not getting threatened or shot in the process – and gives him a can of Pepsi. The cop drinks the Pepsi, the crowd cheers and Jenner is the hero having cured all cops of racism and institutionalized overuse of power forever. Forever!!!!
can’t believe Kendall Jenner just solved institutionalized racism and oppression by giving a cop a pepsi. Groundbreaking
— kels (@Kelsiekinss) April 4, 2017
Pepsi having Kendall Jenner, a white girl, save the day in their new ad & “end racism.” pic.twitter.com/1MLA7E9oqT
— Tess ♡ (@tessbarnhartt) April 4, 2017
If only they had a Pepsi, right @KendallJenner and @pepsi? pic.twitter.com/zOj6FPqg2V
— Sylvia? (@Tellall2012) April 5, 2017
SO MUCH SHADE:
how did pepsi even come up with the idea that kendall jenner could solve police brutality when she can’t even solve her own runway walk
— tori (2017) (@grinchhands) April 5, 2017
“ion know what’s in the pepsi Kendall gave me but maybe we SHOULD stop targeting minorities you know?” pic.twitter.com/eQFWcyDpEV
— eithar (@quccied) April 4, 2017
Maybe Kendall was trying to fight the police by increasing their diabetes risk…#PEPSIpic.twitter.com/G64qUb5Hu9
— بنت زلفى (@Nilempress) April 5, 2017
Check it out below and laugh your ass off (but please spare a thought for the poor Pepsi PR people who will probably be pulling an all-nighter).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCEm21aTh5Q