Pepsi pulled their most recent ad after receiving criticism that it borrowed imagery from the Black Lives Matter movement. Critics claim that the controversial advertisement trivialized the widespread protests against the killings of black people by the police. The ad, posted Tuesday to YouTube, was pulled within a day. Pepsi did not expect the backlash that it received. The company issued a statement that the advertisement was intended to “project a global message of unity, peace, and understanding.” But the age of the internet allows consumers to voice their opinion, and the negative remarks spread like wildfire.
The ad goes something like this: protesters are excitedly marching through a crowded street with signs that say “Join the conversation.” Kendall Jenner, who is in the middle of a photo shoot, stops, takes off her wig, and walks through the crowd to hand a police officer a Pepsi. Whether or not you agree with critics’ views on the commercial, there’s no doubt that average social media users can have a major influence over brands decisions. What do you think about Pepsi’s ad?
