Pepsi’s Latest Ad Ignites Outrage

By David Tay



Pepsi, in an attempt to appeal to a younger audience, released an ad campaign earlier this month that has sparked a controversial, national debate. Titled “Live for Now Moments Anthem” the video was described by Pepsi as “a short film about the moments when we decide to let go, choose to act, follow our passion and nothing holds us back.”

What was controversial: Many critics of the commercial say that the protest, reminiscent of the Black Lives Matter movement, makes light of too many sensitive issues in the world today. One could interpret the commercial as trying to say that events such as the civil rights movement or the War on Terror could have been solved with a can of Pepsi. Angry viewers of the commercial have been quick to remind Pepsi that people have died over the issues that the video seemingly trivializes. Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., said in a Tweet “If only daddy had known about the power of #Pepsi”.

Another point of concern is the fact that the lead actress Kendall Jenner was not a suitable representation of the points made in the commercial. Jenner was born into a wealthy family and raised in an upscale suburb of Los Angeles. She is not known to have participated in any major civil rights protest in the past. 

Why it’s not that bad: As much as Pepsi has received criticism for its attempt to capitalize on current, controversial issues, the side effects over the outrage aren't entirely bad. In a time when political parties have become extremely divided, critics from both the left and right have reprimanded the beverage giant for being “tone-deaf” to sensitive issues. It may not have been the way Pepsi originally intended, but their commercial has in a sense brought attention to issues of racial ignorance and the right to protest, topics that deserve to be talked about.

In addition, Pepsi representatives later released a statement saying: “Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace, and understanding.  Clearly, we missed the mark and apologize.” As it appears, the company certainly wasn’t trying to say that all problems can be solved with a can of Pepsi, they simply wanted to display a small act of kindness in a situation where it was lacking. Pepsi showed the world an example of a company favoring its message over political correctness. For better or for worse, this is a move that most companies are completely terrified of today.



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