E!/Timothy White(NEW YORK) — Pepsi has pulled its controversial new ad, which featured Kendall Jenner appearing to stop a confrontation between protestors and the police by handing an officer a Pepsi. The ad was widely mocked as being tone-deaf and for attempting to co-opt the Black Lives Matter movement to sell soda.
“Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize,” said the company in a statement. “We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are removing the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position.”
Esquire described the ad as “almost surreal in its thoughtlessness, and perverse in its attempt to use the fear and suffering of Americans to sell soda.”
Award-winning video director Joseph Kahn tweeted, “I’ve been studying commercials for 30 years. Kendall’s Pepsi ad is legitimately the worst one I’ve ever seen.”
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