“…one must wonder what the response would have been if Pepsi had depicted police being overpowered and celebrations ensuing with soda-drinking and high fives.”
A Pepsi commercial that was meant to depict humanity, togetherness, and peace caused such a stir online that the corporation made the decision to pull the advertisement. The controversial ad starred Kendall Jenner, the daughter of Caitlyn Jenner—formerly known as Bruce Jenner. The commercial depicts a protest taking place in the streets. Jenner responds to the protest by walking out of her photo shoot, removing her wig, and approaching a police officer to give him a Pepsi. As the officer opens the soda and takes a drink, the crowd cheers and celebrates.
Almost immediately, the internet lit up with angry responses on social media platforms. People took to Twitter to blast Pepsi for “appropriating” the Black Lives Matter movement’s cause. I watched the commercial and didn’t see a single thing that would lead me to believe that it had anything to do with the Black Lives Matter organization. I didn’t even notice anything that represents any one cause. Instead, I saw what indeed appeared to be a scene that started out with protest and ended with celebration that included both protestors and police officers. However—according to Twitter users—the storyline depicted a protest against police brutality, and Pepsi made light of this situation.
Pepsi released a statement that read, “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.” While many people believe that Pepsi was exploiting a social issue, I personally understood the message Pepsi was trying to get across. This is yet another example of political correctness gone awry. It’s a soda commercial. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that people these days will literally find anything to complain about. It’s getting to the point that even trivial things like advertisements are closely scrutinized, and heaven forbid someone gets offended. It’s a shame that freedom of speech gets trampled on so frequently in the United States. People go so far as to exert enough pressure on businesses that they ultimately wind up bullying them into submission.
I’m sure Pepsi doesn’t want to be branded as racists, which would surely have happened had they not pulled their commercial. Since I guess even soda companies are expected to be politically correct, one must wonder what the response would have been if Pepsi had depicted police being overpowered and celebrations ensuing with soda-drinking and high fives. I’m pretty sure it would be hailed on social media as Pepsi taking a stand for the cause against all of the imaginary oppression currently plaguing the United States.
In any case, it’s a soda commercial. I’m left wondering why there are people who invest so much emotion into an advertisement but place little concern over things that are currently happening on a global scale. When there are atrocities going on such as the chemical attack that killed innocent men, women, and children in Syria, it’s nice to know that some Americans have it so rough that a drink loaded with sugar hurt their feelings.
Angelina Newsom is an OpsLens Contributor and U.S. Army Veteran. She has ten years experience in the military, including a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She studies Criminal Justice and is still active within the military community.
To contact or book OpsLens contributors on your program or utilize our staff for your story, contact [email protected].
