Pepsi, a multi billion dollar international company released this advert:
Take a minute before you read on to think about the following:
- How did this advert make you feel?
- What do you think the key message of this advert was intended to be?
Pepsi received harsh backlash after this commercial aired, so much so that they pulled the commercial. Why were people so upset? Well, there are a number of reasons.
1. Firstly, the public was upset that Pepsi did not choose a specific issue to stand behind. In the advert the boards are the protesters have general comments, not tackling a social issue head on.
2. Secondly, the moment where Kendall Jenner hands the Pepsi to the police officer was a take on an impactful moment during the #BlackLivesMatter protest in the states, after the death of Alton Sterling. Captured during the protest in Baton Rouge, this image of Iesha L. Evans was celebrated around the world as a symbol of grace and resilience in the face of police brutality. Shortly after the photograph was taken, Evans was arrested, but she did not regret her actions, stating: “this is the work of God. I am a vessel.”
if only she'd given them a pepsi pic.twitter.com/rVM8jkJrG4
— vicky mochama (@vmochama) April 4, 2017
People were offended that Pepsi tried to commercialise this imagery.
A few days after the advertisement was canned, international company Heineken, released this commercial:
Same concept. “The world’s problems can potentially be solved over a ‘drink’, but a more authentic approach. Heineken was not afraid to address these hard hitting issues and differences head on. They used real life people, with real life experiences and challenges to inspire change. This is the essence of customer centricity.
If you would like assistance with your customer-centric marketing efforts, in order to thrive in this modern business environment, contact us.