The video has been removed from Pepsi’s official 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.We are pulling the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologise for putting Kendall Jenner in this position.”
The advert was widely criticised for appearing to trivialise demonstrations aimed at tackling social justice causes. It was also said to be insensitive due to its apparent mirroring of a picture from a Black Lives Matters protest.
Jenner, a high-profile member of the celebrity Kardashian family, is shown in the advert stepping away from a modeling shoot to join a crowd of young protesters.
The protesters cheer after she hands a can of Pepsi to a police officer, who takes a sip.
