Popping the Wrong Can: The Pepsi Ad Fiasco Starring Kendall Jenner

You know you’ve hit a sour note when your ad intended for unity turns into a PR disaster.

Enter Pepsi’s “Live for Now” campaign. What started as a bid to connect with millennials quickly spiraled into chaos when the 2017 ad featuring Kendall Jenner sparked outrage worldwide. So, what went wrong? Let’s take a closer look at this marketing misstep and the lessons brands can take from it.

The Concept Behind the Ad

In the "Live for Now Moments Anthem", we see Jenner stepping away from a glamorous photoshoot to join a protest.

The scene aims to encapsulate unity and peaceful activism, showcasing cheerful protestors holding signs like "Join the Conversation" and "Peace." The pivotal moment? Jenner hands a police officer a Pepsi. As he takes a sip, the crowd erupts in cheers, as if a can of soda has magically restored harmony.

Pepsi’s intent was to project a message of peace, enlisting Jenner—a millennial icon—as the campaign's face. But those good intentions were soon overshadowed by a wave of controversy.

Where It All Went Wrong

→ Trivializing Social Movements

The ad flopped by trivializing critical movements, especially Black Lives Matter. The image of a smiling Jenner diffusing tensions with a soda felt profoundly disrespectful to those in the thick of genuine protests, where the stakes couldn’t be higher.

→ Miscasting Kendall Jenner

While Jenner is undoubtedly an influencer, her absence from social activism made her an ill-suited choice to represent a campaign with such political weight. Many viewers found this tone-deaf casting indicative of how disconnected the ad was from real issues.

→ Cultural Tone-Deafness

Attempting to capitalize on the current cultural landscape, the ad missed the mark entirely. Using protest imagery—historically tied to serious struggles against police brutality—was seen as callous. Compounding the issue was the ad team’s lack of experience in handling social justice narratives, creating a disconnect between message and execution.

→ Public Backlash

Within hours of airing, social media exploded with criticism. Memes, parodies, and outraged tweets flooded in, accusing the ad of co-opting serious protests for a soda sale. Faced with the uproar, Pepsi had no choice but to yank the ad and issue a public apology, acknowledging their failure to approach the topic with the sensitivity it deserved.

In the issued apology, Pepsi said;

Kendall Jenner found herself in the eye of the storm, facing criticism for her role in the ad. Many called her naive for jumping into such a tasteless campaign, while others defended her, pointing out that the storyline was ultimately in Pepsi’s hands, not hers. In the end, Jenner addressed the backlash with a heartfelt apology video, acknowledging the impact the ad had on the conversation.

From Mistake to Movement: Shifts in Brand Activism

The fallout from the ad wasn’t just online chatter; it reshaped brand perception in real-time:

• Brand Perception Plummets: After the ad's release, Pepsi's brand reception hit a historic low, with millennial purchase consideration dropping from 27% to 24% within months.

• Companies Take Note: Following social justice movements, brands like Starbucks and YouTube made strides to engage authentically, pledging millions for racial equity.

• A Shift in Activism: This controversy sparked a new wave of brand activism, where companies aim for genuine connections rather than merely profit-driven gestures.

Key Lessons for Brands

→ Authenticity is Everything

A critical error was selecting a figure with no genuine ties to the social cause. When tackling sensitive topics, brands must align with individuals who authentically connect with the issue.

→ Cultural Sensitivity Matters

Diving into political or social themes requires careful thought. Brands must strive to support movements meaningfully rather than exploit them for marketing gains.

→ Understand Your Audience

Today’s consumers expect brands to resonate with their values. In Pepsi’s case, what was intended to unite ended up alienating the very audience they sought to engage.

Wrap-up: A Cautionary Tale

Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner ad serves as a stark reminder that even the most well-meaning campaigns can flop without authenticity and sensitivity. In an era where connections matter more than ever, brands must prioritize real engagement over superficial gestures to truly resonate with their audience.

Thank you for being with us this week, see you next time until then,

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Cheers,

Shubham

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