Pepsi facing criticism and boycott over Kendal Jenner ad
Pepsi is being criticised for its advertisement featuring model Kendall Jenner, which echoes a 2016 photograph of protester Ieshia Evans standing in front of riot police during a Black Lives Matter protest. The advertisement has caused widespread offence, with some consumers calling on Twitter for a boycott of the company's products.

Pepsi missed the mark with their attempt at a socially conscious ad campaign. The company is being called out for using Kendall Jenner, and a can of soda, as a protest peace treaty.

In the commercial, released Tuesday (April 4), Jenner leaves a modeling gig and casually hits the streets with a crowd of “protestors.”

Along the way, the 21-year-old model picks up a can of Pepsi to hand it over to (an apparently thirsty) police officer.

Now that Kendall Jenner and Pepsi have solved police brutality, we just need Jared Kushner and Coke to solve the Mideast peace problem. pic.twitter.com/yAGCtKO7uu — Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) April 4, 2017

The visual mimics a 2016 photo of Ieshia Evans boldly standing in the face of authorities during a Black Lives Matter protest, following the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling.

Kendall Jenner: Can I copy off of you? Iesha Evans: No. Kendall:* Looks over shoulder anyway*

Damn that. I’m getting this Pepsi money. pic.twitter.com/NUXwCZnM7p — C I L L My Landlord (@GuruBluXVIII) April 4, 2017

After the commercial clearly backfired, Pepsi released a statement in response to the growing backlash.

this is the statement from Pepsi re: the tone deaf Kendall ad (h/t @kristinamonllos) pic.twitter.com/b46Tiwn7qm — deray mckesson (@deray) April 5, 2017

Peep some of the Twitter reactions to the commercial below.

I hear @pepsi is already working on their next ad campaign. pic.twitter.com/GaOOvllQLb — Godfrey Elfwick (@GodfreyElfwick) April 4, 2017

The Kendall Jenner Pepsi fiasco is a perfect example of what happens when there’s no black people in the room when decisions are being made. — Travon Free (@Travon) April 4, 2017

LOOOOOOL @ this Pepsi commercial. — Phonte (@phontigallo) April 5, 2017

You should have seen the rejected Pepsi commercial. pic.twitter.com/1NR23KCuwk — Wallace Wylie (@WallaceWylie) April 4, 2017

Where’s Kendall with her Pepsi when you need them? pic.twitter.com/0D9E5bbfOd — DJ Sapien (@DJ_Sapien) April 4, 2017

“I’ve been to the mountaintop, there’s a Pepsi machine” pic.twitter.com/40vV6HjeEF — Charles J. Moore (@charles270) April 4, 2017

When she thinks the can of Pepsi is going to stop you from pepper spraying the nearest person of color pic.twitter.com/XMDfg8s02G — Zito (@_Zeets) April 4, 2017