Pepsi has no one to blame but itself.
The company’s much-maligned new ad — which shows Kendall Jenner joining a protest and handing a policeman a can of soda — was dreamed up by Pepsi’s in-house creative team, Creators League Studio, according to Ad Age.
The two-and-a-half minute commercial has sparked widespread criticism, with many accusing the company of trivializing actual protest movements.
Some also compared the image of Jenner handing a cop a can of Pepsi to a now-iconic photo of Black Lives Matter protester Ieshia Evans getting arrested in Baton Rouge.
Ieshia Evans stands her ground while offering her hands for arrest as she is charged by riot police during a protest outside the Baton Rouge Police Department in Louisiana.Reuters“Can you believe kendall jenner solved all the black lives matter issues by giving a pepsi to a cop? inspiring,” Twitter user Danii G wrote.
Pepsi insisted on Tuesday evening that the spot has an “important message.”
“This is a global ad that reflects people from different walks of life coming together in a spirit of harmony, and we think that’s an important message to convey,” the statement read.
