The Internet Is Understandably Upset With This Tone-Deaf Pepsi Commercial
Update: The Pepsi commercial is no longer available to watch on YouTube. According to The Daily Beast reporter Olivia Messer, Pepsi is pulling the ad. The company added, "We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position." Jennifer Maloney, a reporter at The Wall Street Journal, also confirmed that Pepsi is pulling the ad and tweeted out the company's full statement.
We've reached out to Pepsi for additional comment.
Original story: Sometimes, companies hit the right tone when it comes to making statements in commercials. Most of the time, however, the company ends up looking out of touch and leaves the internet shaking its head at it. The newest member to this group? Pepsi, along with Kendall Jenner, for a ridiculous, tone-deaf commercial.
The commercial starts off innocently enough with a protest taking over the streets, signs like "Join the Conversation" popping up. But as Kendall, clad in a blond wig and taking part in a photo shoot, notices the crowd, she realizes where she needs to be — the protest. Kendall wipes off her lipstick and joins the protest, grabbing a Pepsi can in the process. If you're not cringing yet, you will when Kendall walks up to a line of police officers and hands one a Pepsi can. The image is an allusion to when Ieshia Evans, who was standing peacefully in front of police officers at a protest in Baton Rouge, LA, was arrested.
The internet collectively lost it when Pepsi aired this commercial.
If Kendall were a black man, the cop would think the @pepsi was a gun, open fire, get paid leave and not be charged with murder
— Steph Carter (@CarterSteph__) April 4, 2017
the Boston Tea Party, but, like, Pepsi cans are throwing Coke cans into Boston Harbor?
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) April 4, 2017
*Cop raises nightstick over unarmed black person*
*Black person timidly offers cop Pepsi in their hand*
*Cop apologizes, hugs them*— Tax-free Hands. (@thewayoftheid) April 4, 2017
People also took the time to call out Kendall for participating.
-this is the closest we have ever seen a kardashian be to activism and it's a fake protest in a pepsi ad she was paid millions to appear in
— jack wagner (@GrimmKardashian) April 4, 2017
Others couldn't help but make fun of the entire situation.
Who wants to let me film them handing a Pepsi to a riot cop at the next big Portland Protest?
— doug brown (@dougbrown8) April 4, 2017
Look I'm as woke as the next guy, but even cops shouldn't have to drink Pepsi.
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) April 4, 2017
Some people wondered how Coca-Cola's day was going.
Pepsi just did a brilliant ad for Coke
— Nic Sampson (@NicSampson) April 4, 2017
that pepsi ad made me want to buy a coke.
— quinta b. (@quintabrunson) April 4, 2017
Mostly, the internet now officially hates Pepsi.
[Ordering last meal on death row]
Guard:... And to drink?
Me: Coke.
Guard: Pepsi OK?
Me: *executes myself*— Jules (@SaltyCorpse) April 4, 2017