Well that was quick. Less than 24 hours after its effervescent co-opting of the Black Lives Matter movement pissed off the entire internet, Pepsi has pulled its controversial ad starring Kendall Jenner. The ad depicted Kendall leaving the set of a modeling gig after witnessing a protest featuring hot minorities, and after throwing her blonde wig at a black stylist, strutting to the frontline to save the world from racism by offering a cop a can of soda. It was quickly condemned by everyone from civil rights activists to Chemical Brothers fans.
— Pepsi™ (@pepsi) April 5, 2017
“Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace, and understanding,” the brand posted on Twitter this afternoon. “Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue.” The ad has been pulled from YouTube and will not be aired on any further platforms. Pepsi also expressed regret for making Kendall the public face of the epically proportioned mess. So much for hashtag activism amounting to nothing.
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Text Hannah Ongley