Just a few weeks ago, Pepsi launched an ad staring Kendall Jenner. It features a protest involving people of all ethnicities, though it focuses mainly on a younger crowd of people. Ms. Jenner can be seen posing for cameras and looking on at the street protest, until one protestor urges her to join them. After joining and coming face to face with a line of police officers, Ms. Jenner hands one of the officers a Pepsi. This results in applause from the protestors, and a sort of acquiescence from the cops.
Ultimately, Pepsi decided to pull the commercial from the public after widespread criticism. Many thought this commercial made light of recent protests, specifically for the Black Lives Matter movement. Truthfully, protests aren't successful because of something so trivial like a can of soda. Protestors often need to deal with police brutality, and they could be forced into putting their own lives or well-beings at risk. Having Kendall Jenner, a famous white woman, star in a commercial that makes BLM protests seem trivial is obviously an ignorant idea on Pepsi's part.
Some social issues are just too serious to put into ads. If they are included, they must be executed tastefully and purposefully. At first watch, the commercial may not seem that negative, but the socio-political context of the society surrounding the ad must always be considered. Everything must be executed as it is in the real world, with the highest amount of truth possible displayed in the ad. If not, consumers will smell the fowl play, and the reactions could result in some heavy PR nightmares. This is not to mention the millions of people that could be offended in their interpretations of the ad.
To one extent, I completely agree in the fact that Pepsi got it very wrong. If they want to promote peace and diversity, do it like Coca-Cola does. With just people having fun enjoying their product. Don't get too political...after all, they're just a soda company.
ReplyDeleteOn another hand, I have a problem with people taking offense to every little thing that is put out there. Every ad and every little thing someone says is under such extreme scrutiny by the public. I'm not saying this is wrong, but should it be so strict? To what extent should we stop asking questions because it just doesn't matter anymore? Why can't we as a human race simply enjoy things at face value anymore, or just simply for entertainment purposes? Just a thought. Maybe that's why we still see so many differences in each other too...not just advertisements. Let's stop putting each other under the microscope and just live our lives to the fullest. Life is short, after all.