Pepsi's latest advertisement starring reality television star and high fashion model Kendall Jenner has triggered a significant social media backlash.
The Pepsi ad, which was released late Tuesday but pulled the following day, began with a crowd of younger multi-racial men and women walking in the middle of a street holding protest signs with the peace symbol and phrases like "Join the Conversation." The protesters were eventually stopped by a line of police officers.
Kendall Jenner remedied the situation by picking up a Pepsi cola and offering the soda to an officer as a peace offering.
The police officer took a sip and the crowd cheered. All problems were solved.
Pepsi announced Wednesday that it would take down the ad after it caused controversy.
"Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace, and understanding," the company said in a statement. "Clearly, we missed the mark, and we apologize. 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."
Before the commercial was pulled, it was ridiculed by Twitter.
CNN political commentator Symone Sanders accused Pepsi of "using" Jenner to "co-opt the resistance."
That moment when #Pepsi uses #KendallJenner to co-opt the resistance to sell soda... pic.twitter.com/yfyAGpcn1R
— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) April 5, 2017
Comedian Patton Oswalt mocked the commercial, comparing it to the grassy knoll.
J. Edgar Hoover takes aim from the grassy knoll. The motorcade approaches. He fires. JFK raises a #Pepsi to his lips, blocks the bullet.
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 5, 2017
Australian Senator Scott Ludlam also mocked the Pepsi ad.
who else is reminded of Dr Martin Luther King's famously resonant "I have a Pepsi" speech pic.twitter.com/xX5h3it3d1
— Scott Ludlam (@SenatorLudlam) April 4, 2017
Comedian Kumail Nanjiani weighed in, too.
So we should just give Putin & Assad & Trump a can of Pepsi & everything will be fine?
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) April 4, 2017
Wade Davis II linked the controversial ad to immigration.
What's next @pepsi & @KendallJenner - immigrants getting deported & you hand them a #PEPSI & they are smiling w/ ICE agents. #PepsiMoment https://t.co/xbkSiBW4up
— Wade Davis II (@Wade_Davis28) April 5, 2017
Filmmaker Jordan Brady asked if Pepsi could have "stopped the pipeline," presumably referring to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.
Damn. #PEPSI could have stoped the pipeline. If we only knew.
— Jordan Brady (@DirJordanBrady) April 5, 2017
Adam Hunter gave his two cents.
After all these years, we now find out that Rodney King was drinking a Coke. #pepsi
— Adam Hunter (@AdamComedian) April 5, 2017
Tammy Pescatelli simply said "Bye #Pepsi."
Bye #PEPSI https://t.co/TfCFyN17b5
— Tammy Pescatelli (@TammyPescatelli) April 5, 2017
Not everyone was critical, however. Youtuber and rapper Timothy DeLaGhetto did give Pepsi a thumbs up, pointing out Jenner "implied flirts w/ an Asian dude."
I get why people are mad about the Kendall #Pepsi ad, but she also has implied flirts w/ an Asian dude, so I'll give Pepsi a 👍🏼 for that lol
— Timothy DeLaGhetto (@TimothyDeLaG) April 5, 2017
24/7 HipHop News tweeted an Anchorman meme regarding the Pepsi Cola ad.
#PEPSI Commercial pic.twitter.com/idA2PtVhvH
— 24/7 HipHop News (@BenjaminEnfield) April 5, 2017
Pepsi issued a statement to Entertainment Weekly on its controversial ad before it was pulled.
"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," a Pepsi spokesperson said.
Kendall Jenner spoke out on Monday on the issue.
"To me, Pepsi is more than just a beverage–it registers as a pop culture icon and a lifestyle that shares a voice with the generation of today," she said.
UPDATE 1:35 P.M.: This post was updated after Pepsi announced its decision on Wednesday to pull the advertisement.