Kendall Jenner X Pepsi

Probably one of the most controversial stories we've seen for a while...

Literally everyone is talking about the Kendall Jenner X Pepsi scandal.

Here's why...

Pepsi has bowed to pressure and is “pulling” its controversial advert featuring Kendall Jenner at a protest. The video has been removed from YouTube and in a statement, the company said: "Pepsi was trying to project a global a message of unity, peace and understanding.Clearly, we missed the mark, and we apologise. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue".

The advert was widely criticised for appearing to trivialise demonstrations aimed at tackling social justice causes, suggesting that protestors and police would get along better if the former were kinder and being insensitive with regard to the Black Lives Matter movement.

The protesters cheer after she hands a can of Pepsi to a police officer, who takes a sip and smiles at his colleague. Among those mocking the advert was Bernice King, who tweeted a photo of her father, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, being confronted by a police officer at a protest march.

"If only Daddy would have known about the power of Pepsi," the tweet said.

This isn't the official video because that got taken down but this was the advert:

Besides being massively controversial I just think as far as adverts go this is a weak one. It's just uninteresting, generic and dull. I mean I know Kendall is a supermodel and everything but I think it would be nice if a brand actually used real people who we could actually relate too, because no matter how much Pepsi you drink, you ain't ever going to be like Kendall.

I get that Pepsi was trying to show that they are a brand that supports global issues but it just doesn't promote that message and when you haven't got anything narrating it apart from music it can be hard to get your point across. But come on Pepsi, just think next time! They've been around for years now, you'd they think they'd know what is appropriate and what isn't. It's great that they shot the video in Thailand using mostly local people because the consumer market can relate to this so much more. When will brands learn that we don't respond to celebrity endorsement anymore, people are more likely to buy a product if it's recommended by a friend than a celebrity.

Because we know we can trust the friend.

Kendall Jenner is reportedly ‘lying low’ and feeling ‘traumatised’ after the backlash from her role in the recent controversial Pepsi advert. “Kendall was grateful for the change,” they said. “She is really traumatised over the Pepsi backlash.” They continued: “She had such high hopes for it and now she’s terrified she will never work again or become a laughing stock. The world sees her as this glamorous, sophisticated, jet-setting woman, but she’s only 21 and she’s very sensitive. This has been very painful and embarrassing to her.“She feels like the whole world hates her. She’s never had to deal with this kind of backlash, she’s so upset. Anything offensive is just not her. She means well, always.”

This isn't the first time PepsiCo have had to apologised for an advert. In 2013, they pulled an advert for the soft drink Mountain Dew that was criticised for portraying racial stereotypes and appearing to make light of violence toward women. It's apparent that Pepsi really need to think before they produce a campaign, you'd think a worldwide brand they would be more considerate but obviously not. It makes me sad but I doubt this will be the last time Pepsi produce something controversial- it's only a matter of time till we see something else. Only what will it be next time?