A man on a rooftop is seen playing a cello but the soundtrack features the strumming of a guitar. People on the street below march in an orderly fashion carrying signs saying nothing remotely risky — 'Join the conversation' and peace signs drawn in Pepsi blue.
Sit back, this is two minutes and 40 seconds of your life you'll wish you could take back.
Kendall Jenner appears to save the day for the protesters when she emerges from her nearby photo shoot, pulling off an expensive gown in exchange for a 'casual' $238 denim jacket.
Now that she looks like the commoners she can walk ahead of them until she approaches the police blocking the protest. Tensions are apparently high, but the crowd erupts into celebration as the cop takes the offering of Pepsi from the celebrity saviour.
Pepsi's new 'short film' advertisement has been widely accused of appropriating the struggle for race and gender equality in the name of its product. It makes sugar filled drinks seem like the key to stopping police brutality against people of colour. It also simplifies the way people engage and make change in the world.
Activism is often led and participated in by the most vulnerable people in our community. Often minorities aren't heard in conventional ways and have no choice but to express political opinions on the streets. These vulnerable people often include women, people of colour and the LGBTIQ community.
Having a corporation such as Pepsi cash in on these experiences for consumerism seems contradictory to the idea of protesting, and commercialising these real struggles can devalue them.
This hurt and offence was echoed on Twitter and YouTube with the video, at the time of writing, having received over 15,000 thumbs down compared to just 3000 likes. Pepsi trended on Twitter for the first 24 hours after the ad was launched; over 50 per cent was negative feedback.
"Perhaps Pepsi got more views on their advertisement than they would have if it wasn't offensive. Regardless, it seems more than likely that they tried to access consumers by seeming like an ethical brand."
Before long, memes started to circulate, such as a photo of Martin Luther King Jr with a Pepsi edited into his hand and the caption 'I have a Pepsi'.
Perhaps Pepsi got more views on their advertisement than they would have if it wasn't offensive. Regardless, it seems more than likely that they tried to access consumers by seeming