4 Times Pepsi 'Missed The Mark' In Kendall Jenner Commercial | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

4 Times Pepsi 'Missed The Mark' In Kendall Jenner Commercial

No, giving a police officer a Pepsi will not serve our social justice problems.

83
4 Times Pepsi 'Missed The Mark' In Kendall Jenner Commercial
NBC

Pepsi recently aired a new commercial featuring Kendall Jenner …and then took it down. If you haven't yet seen it, here's how it goes: the commercial shows a protest moving along a street, picking up people of different races, sexes and genders as it goes along, very diverse, approaching a police barricade. Predictably enough, throughout the commercial people randomly pick up Pepsis here and there. Off to the side is Kendall Jenner, posing for a photo shoot as she slips furtive glances at the protest. Near the close of the ad, a man beckons her to join them with a nod of his head and off she goes, our Kardashian social justice leader. It all culminates in a final scene where gorgeous, white model Jenner breaches the mounting tension between minorities and white cops by offering an officer a Pepsi.

Immediately people greeted this advertisement with anger and fury, prompting Pepsi to pull it off the air and respond: “Clearly, we missed the mark”. Yes Pepsi, yes you did. The biggest issue with this ad is a total misunderstanding of any social, minority driven movement, resulting in blatant promotion of the white savior complex and totally minimizing the legitimacy of these movements.

After pulling the ad, Pepsi responded with this: "We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are pulling the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position". The fact that they did not foresee this type of reaction, that they didn't consider the fact that it would be perceived in the way that it was is disgusting. It shows a complete lack of thought and analysis. It's a commercial sending the message that divisive social issues can be solved with soda. Of course people would think that's making "light of any serious issue".

Even worse is the apology for putting Jenner in this position. Kendall Jenner is a fully sentient human being. She went along with this process and fully knew what she was doing. Excuses can't be made for that kind of compliance.

Going even further, the fact that this image of Jenner approaching the officer is reminiscent of a Baton Rouge Black Lives Matter protest during which a young black woman, Ieshia Evans, approached an officer peacefully and was arrested, is even more disturbing. There’s a difference between being an ally to a minority group and acting the savior. This commercial shows that before the backlash, Pepsi’s advertising team had no idea what this difference is.

What separates an ally, or simply a sincere person passionate about social justice, from a “ white savior ” is understanding and effort. An ally acknowledges their own privilege and realizes that they will never fully know what it’s like to be a member of the minority group in question. An ally uses this knowledge to listen, to learn what they can actually do to help. Then, an ally actually does what they can to help and show solidarity.

An ally doesn’t hand a Pepsi to a police officer and suddenly break through a generations-old animosity. In the words of Mia McKenzie, this is what being an ally is about: “a way of living your life that doesn’t reinforce the same oppressive behaviors you’re claiming to be against.” But Pepsi fell victim to an appropriated use of the “ally” concept, one that ignores the real issue as long as the intention to help is present; one that ignores the true purpose of the movement and capitalizes on the moment. Through this commercial, Pepsi did reinforce the oppressive behaviors they tried to speak against in this ad.

We can only hope that next time Pepsi won't exploit the oppression of others for profit.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

3817
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

450183
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22058
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

45003
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments