Kendall Jenner’s recent Pepsi ad sparked a lot of backlash from the media and its users. For those who have been out of the loop, the Pepsi commercial starring Kendall Jenner attempted to touch upon some very serious issues that have been happening lately. The ad begins with Jenner partaking in a photoshoot, in which she gets distracted by protesters on the street outside. Jenner then joins the group of protesters and approaches a police officer, handing him a Pepsi. The police officer accepts with a smile and the crowd begins to cheer.
It’s pretty evident that the soda commercial tried to imitate the Black Lives Matter movement. While I feel it is a good message to send, the execution was poorly done. What I got from the ad was that society needs to accept love and equality despite our race, religion, and beliefs. However, the idea that Pepsi can solve societies’ racial issues defeats the purpose of Black Lives Matter and any other similar movements. If only the world could be so simple as to give someone a Pepsi to solve such a divisive issue that impacts millions of people.
Most people need to see beyond the visuals of the commercial and realize that Pepsi was trying to send out a powerful message about unity. Yes, it was a bit too much to imply that simply sharing a can of Pepsi can achieve world peace. It’s understandable why some people may feel offended by the commercial because this is a touchy subject. There are a handful of people who have been damaged from criticism and racial differences and are still dealing with that pain today. People like Martin Luther King Jr. risked their lives for freedom and equality. This soft drink commercial diminishes their hard work by insinuating that Pepsi is the solution to all problems, or at least this one.
As I mentioned before, I have contrasting views on the Pepsi commercial. The message in the ad is extremely powerful; our society should strive for peace, love, and unity. But, the ending of the ad is what causes controversy. Pepsi, as we all know, does not solve problems regarding violence and social injustices. It would take much more than that to achieve world peace and unity.
Let us know your thoughts on the new Pepsi commercial!
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