Controversial Pepsi ad used San Francisco police logo without permission, city says
Lots of people were unhappy about the Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad — including, it turns out, the San Francisco Police Department.
In a “behind the scenes” video about the ad that was uploaded to Pepsi’s YouTube channel, the shot of Jenner handing the officer a Pepsi is shown from another angle. From there, you can see the emblem on his sleeve, which reads “San Francisco Police” and uses a facsimile of the department’s logo.
According to the San Francisco city attorney’s office, Pepsi did not ask permission before using the logo for the ad.
“We’re demanding that Pepsi not run any footage or photos associated with this ad that reference the San Francisco Police Department. If they don’t comply, we will explore all legal options,” said San Francisco City Atty. Dennis Herrera in a statement. “There is nothing San Franciscan about Pepsi’s ham-handed attempt here to fatten its own bottom line.”
The “behind the scenes” video, along with the original ad, has disappeared from Pepsi’s website and YouTube channel.
Pepsi released the commercial last week. Almost immediately, it became the object of scorn and mockery on the internet and late-night TV. Pepsi was accused of appropriating imagery from the Black Lives Matter movement and trivializing the confrontations between protesters and police.
The next day, Pepsi issued a statement defending the ad. Hours later, the company changed course and pulled it.
“Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize,” Pepsi said in a statement. “We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are removing the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position.”
In the mean time, social media impressions for the brand jumped by more than 7,000%. One brand management expert estimated that the company has yielded $300 million to $400 million in publicity as a result of the outcry.
Follow me on Twitter @jessica_roy.
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