It’s always a hit or miss!
Can soda pop be the panacea to everything that’s wrong with society today? According to the new Pepsi ad that was taken down within a day of its debut, the answer is yes.
The two-and-a-half minute commercial features Kendall Jenner, working it for the camera across a passing protest march. Given the scale of the protest (whose political agenda is never defined), the time taken for Jenner to take notice of the march is pretty questionable. Nevertheless, she does, ripping off her blonde wig and smudging her lipstick in grand gesture as she joins the crowd.
What happens next is what causes the bulk of the backlash—the supermodel approaches one of the police officers on duty and hands him a can of Pepsi. The officer accepts it, takes a drink out of it and smiles as the crowd cheers on. It appears that racism, sexism or whatever was at the heart of the cause has been effectively eliminated by a can of sugary drink.
While Pepsi’s just one of the many brands to ride along the wave of activism to render consumerism with more meaning, it fails in its delivery—which is void of any kind of political statement though it’s trying to make a political stand, downplaying the gravity that’s tied to these profound causes.
“Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize. 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.”
And unite the people did, as they turned against Pepsi to make it the butt of every joke:
But, if history has taught us any lesson, it is that men do not learn from their mistakes. Here are some other modern advertising campaigns that have missed the mark and incurred the wrath of its target audience.
1. Nivea’s White Is Purity, 2017
Days before Pepsi’s gaffe, German skincare brand Nivea also had to apologise for the above deodorant advert that was shared on the Nivea Middle East Facebook page, alongside the caption: “Keep it clean, keep it bright. Don’t let anything ruin it.”
The ad was deemed by many as racially insensitive as it appears to promote white supremacy, and was deleted two days after it surfaced on the internet.
“We are deeply sorry to anyone who may take offense to this specific post,” the company apologised in a statement. “Diversity and equal opportunity are crucial values of Nivea.”
2. Bloomingdale’s Christmas Catalogue, 2015
In 2015, Bloomingdale’s had to apologise for an inappropriate Christmas catalogue ad that many interpreted as encouraging date rape. In it, a man is staring at a stylish woman who’s looking in the opposite direction. All appears innocent enough until you do a double take on the caption: “Spike Your Best Friend’s Eggnog When They’re Not Looking.”
As the ad was in a print catalog, Bloomingdale’s could not withdraw it. However, the retailer did issue a statement saying, “In reflection of recent feedback, the copy we used in our recent catalog was inappropriate and in poor taste. Bloomingdale’s sincerely apologizes for this error in judgement.”
3. Burger King’s Seven Incher, 2009
This might come as a surprise to many, but the campaign was actually produced by an unnamed local Singaporean agency. Although released in Singapore for a limited time only, the ad went viral and left a bad taste around the world.
As if its crass sexual innuendos and misogynistic undertones weren’t bad enough, the model had not given permission for her face to be used in the ad.
Looking back, Burger King’s only statement on the controversy might have fallen short of adequate: “Respect for customers and employees is a top priority at Burger King restaurants around the world. This advert was created by an independent franchise in Singapore in conjunction with a local promotional offer. This ad was not released in any other markets.”
4. GoDaddy’s Super Bowl TV Spot, 2015
The commercial features Buddy, a cute puppy who found its way back to its owner, only to be shipped out again after being sold online via a website that was built by GoDaddy.
Its levity did not sit well with many as they felt it endorsed the sale of puppies online, which in turn encouraged puppy mills. There was even a petition to pull the ad, and it gathered thousands of signatures in a matter of hours.
Eventually, the web-hosting company pulled the ad with the following statement, “The responses were emotional and direct. Many people urged us not to run the ad … The net result? We are pulling the ad from the Super Bowl.”
5. Dunkin’ Donuts’ Charcoal Donut, 2013
Although the marketing campaign for Dunkin’ Donuts’ charcoal donuts was intended for the Thai market, it was poorly received among American human rights organisations and average citizens as it depicts blackface make-up that’s reminiscent of 19th/20th century stereotypes for black people.
However, the Thais seemed unfazed, and donut sales even went up 50% after the ad was launched. According to the Associated Press, this could be due to the fact that “it’s common for advertisements to inexplicably use racial stereotypes (in Thailand).”
That also explains why CEO Nadim Salhani was not the least bit apologetic about it: “We’re not allowed to use black to promote our doughnuts? I don’t get it. What’s the big fuss? What if the product was white and I painted someone white, would that be racist?”
