17 May 2024, 00:00

Pepsi And Kendall Jenner Are Getting Roasted Over Their Tone-Deaf 'Protest' Ad

Updated Feb. 22 2021, 4:13 p.m. ET

Source: Pepsi

The latest Pepsi commercial, featuring Kendall Jenner, is being met with criticism online because it features the star walking through a protest to give a policeman a can of Pepsi and defuse the entire situation.

The ad is obviously trying to appeal to those protesting against the policies of President Donald Trump, but ended up backfiring spectacularly because it's so out-of-touch with the violence that often erupts between protesters and cops.

the new @Pepsi ad evoking imagery of @IeshiaEvans in Baton Rouge is total exploitative brand social activism bs 👋🏼 pic.twitter.com/YzAFtWEzDO

— Sherry (@slchen_) April 4, 2017

I wish Eric Garner knew all he needed was a Pepsi. Smh

— X (@XLNB) April 5, 2017

who else is reminded of Dr Martin Luther King's famously resonant "I have a Pepsi" speech pic.twitter.com/xX5h3it3d1

— Scott Ludlam (@SenatorLudlam) April 4, 2017

@KrisJenner @KendallJenner @pepsi Protests are so in right now.

— juanona ryder (@juanrod) April 4, 2017

@KrisJenner @KendallJenner @pepsi that's it, kendall just fixed all social injustices. bless.

— Missing Link (@MissngLnk) April 4, 2017

wake up, SHEEPLE, protest is the new brunch pic.twitter.com/zvrC0Z1Juv

— Elahe Izadi (@ElaheIzadi) April 4, 2017

Hell yeah I hope the militarized police force beats the shit out of me while enjoying a cool, refreshing Pepsi™ https://t.co/E7NgU9uTwS

— Dan Ozzi (@danozzi) April 4, 2017

*kendall jenner hands cop a pepsi*

cop: im not racist anymore

— BRANDON WARDELL (@BRANDONWARDELL) April 4, 2017

Live bolder, live louder, live for now. @pepsi pic.twitter.com/BjtTEuRZYD

— Ethan Anderton (@Ethan_Anderton) April 4, 2017

Training Day (2001) pic.twitter.com/TAPjvdpx53

— jeff in real life (@thecultureofme) April 4, 2017

theory: that Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad is actually a Coke ad

— Chris Gayomali (@chrisgayomali) April 4, 2017

The ad that proves once and for all that Pepsi is literally for narcs https://t.co/vkqTZtPceP

— Jian DeLeon (@jiandeleon) April 4, 2017

Next time @pepsi do one where Kendall Jenner marches to Montgomery but the cops don't bludgeon her bc she's white & has a refreshing @pepsi

— Jia Tolentino (@jiatolentino) April 4, 2017

Pepsi's next ad: pic.twitter.com/jQvWfx9YgH

— Jian DeLeon (@jiandeleon) April 4, 2017

so many adults had to fuck up in so many unique and equally tone deaf ways to make this awful ad, it's honestly breathtaking https://t.co/j7BdoVw0cC

— kevin shark (@boynamedshark) April 4, 2017

"Kendall please! Give him a Pepsi!" pic.twitter.com/IntFNmCpTr

— Zito (@_Zeets) April 4, 2017

Following the outrage, Pepsi released this statement:

"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 removing the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position."

Others called on them to do more and donate to good causes.

.@pepsi, I'm assuming you'll be using the money you make to support @ACLU, @PPact, #CampaignZero + other social change.

That's all I got.

— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) April 4, 2017

Pepsi definitely could have handled this one better. Getting a member of one of the richest families in the nation to protest against the establishment was an odd decision, and the ad might have been better received without Jenner in it.

The model first spoke out about the controversy on her family's reality show, "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." "When I first get this offer, I mean, it is a huge company," Jenner explained in a confessional. "The people I was following were so iconic and amazing. Michael Jackson has done it, Britney Spears has done it, Beyoncé, Pink — the list goes on. To get something like that, it was so exciting. I trusted everyone. I trusted the teams. After I saw the reaction, and read what people had to say about it, I most definitely saw what went wrong. I was so stuck and I really didn't know what to do, so I completely shut down."

Here's hoping all parties involved learned a valuable lesson.

Pepsi and Kendall Jenner Are Getting Slammed Over 'Tone-Deaf' Ad

Updated Feb. 22 2021, 4:13 p.m. ET The latest Pepsi commercial, featuring Kendall Jenner, is being met with criticism online because it features the star walking through a protest to give a policeman a can of Pepsi and defuse the entire situation.

Pepsi And Kendall Jenner Are Getting Roasted Over Their Tone-Deaf 'Protest' Ad

More from Distractify

Share!