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Pepsi’s major ad flop featuring Kendall Jenner seemingly creating peace among protesters and police by handing an officer a Pepsi was put under fire seconds after its launch. Less than 24 hours later, the ad was pulled with an issued apology.
Where Pepsi went wrong: it made light of current events in order to sell soda. Incorporating political issues has been deemed successful before, but Pepsi suggested its product as a solution, trivializing the problems as a whole.
The millennial audience they tried to resonate with saw through it. It’s an important lesson in sensitivity, motivations and understanding your targets.
– Natalie Ghidotti, Ghidotti Communications