By, Sarah Richer

Kendall Jenner is one of Pepsi’s newest celebrity endorsers. She made her debut as representative in a new ad that supports the company’s new campaign, “Live for Now.” Jenner is not the first celebrity to support the company in their campaigns. From Michael Jackson to Beyoncé, celebrities have always endorsed the company. However, no such celebrity has caused so much controversy in a Pepsi ad.

In the latest Pepsi commercials, Jenner is seen doing a photoshoot in a short cut blonde wig, shiny dress, and lipstick, while “Lions” by Skip Marley plays in the background. After a short amount of time, protesters walk by where she is shooting, and she decides to join. Before she joins, she rips off the wig, smears off her lipstick, and changes into a more “rebellious” outfit.  From there, she grabs a Pepsi (of course) and hands it to a policeman watching/guarding while the protest take place. The crowd of peace protesters cheer in excitement. The commercial ends with protesters all smiling and Pepsi flashes their campaign ad.

This all seems like a good commercial, right? Wrong. The problem with this commercial is that the ad focuses more on Jenner than the other people featured in the ad of different ethnical backgrounds and races. It also does not stay true to how protests really are. The majority protests that have been occurring over the recent years have been blacks fighting for the rights that they clearly deserve. The ad does not feature many black people, but features the front line of protesters being white, like Jenner herself. Even though the protesters are shown as peaceful demonstrators like many of them are in real protests, the officers are not represented truthfully. In real protests, a police officer is seen with full bulletproof gear and shields. In the ad, they are seen simply standing there peacefully. Have you ever really seen this happen? Also, have you ever seen an officer accept a Pepsi (even from a white privileged girl) during a protest? No. Pepsi does not solve the problem to real issues in our world, which is a reason why the ad received so much backlash, along with the misrepresentations.

So what do people have to say about this? Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter tweeted, “If only Daddy would have known about the power of #Pepsi,” mocking the ad. Others had similar responses. Pepsi responded by saying it was “…trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly, we missed the mark, and we apologize.” They have since pulled the ad. Jenner has yet to comment, but her people say she is “upset.”

So, before you crack into your next can of Pepsi, think about how much power you hold. You, yourself, can be like Kendall Jenner and solve conflicts with a sugary beverage.