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Live for Now
Screenshot from the advertisement showing Kendall Jenner giving a police officer a can of Pepsi
ClientPepsiCo
Product
Directed byMichael Bernard[1]
Music by"Lions" by Skip Marley
Starring

"Live for Now", also known as "Live for Now Moments Anthem",[2] is a 2017 short film commercial for Pepsi by PepsiCo featuring Kendall Jenner and the song "Lions" by Skip Marley. According to a statement from PepsiCo, the ad's purpose was initially to reach millennials and "to project a global message of unity, peace, and understanding."[3] The advertisement was pulled after receiving online backlash, with Pepsi and Jenner being accused of trivializing Black Lives Matter and police brutality.

Plot

[edit]

The Pepsi commercial features Kendall Jenner and the song "Lions" by Skip Marley.[4] It begins with an Asian cellist on a rooftop. Outside, young people are marching, displaying V signs and carrying signs, including one that says "Join the Conversation". The protesters are smiling and appear to be happy, also carrying signs that say "peace" and "love".[5] Jenner's character is seen modeling at a photoshoot. A photographer in a hijab notices the march and heads outside.

The cellist walks past Jenner's photoshoot and gestures for her to join the march. Jenner removes a blonde wig and hands it to a black woman, wipes off her dark lipstick, and heads toward the march.

Several white police officers are standing in a line formation, watching the march approach them. Jenner appears in a more casual outfit and walks up to the police officers, handing one of the officers a can of Pepsi. The photographer snaps multiple photographs of the interaction. After the police officer drinks from the can, the crowd cheers enthusiastically. The photographer puts aside her camera and hugs someone nearby in celebration.

Production

[edit]
All Seasons Place in Bangkok where parts of the commercial were shot in

The "Live for Now – Moments" commercial in April 2017 was a play off an existing "Live for Now" campaign the company created in 2012.[3] Six people were credited with creating the ad, and The Mirror reported that all were white.[1] The ad was produced by PepsiCo's in-house content creation team, Creators League Studio.[3] Jenner had no involvement in the creative process and no advanced knowledge of the marketing vision. She first knew the story-line when she got the script and moved forward with appearing in the ad.[1]

Due to the fact that Pepsi's in-house creative team came up with the concept, many people expressed that this incident is a prime example of the risks associated with group-think, claiming that in this instance, company culture overlooked potential tone-deafness.[6]

The commercial was shot in Bangkok, Thailand with identified locations including Omni Tower Sukhumvit Nana where its helicopter pad was featured in the opening shot, and All Seasons Place.[7] The starring extras coming from both locally and abroad.[8] According to a local crew, the decision to shoot in Thailand was likely due to the cheaper cost of production.[8]

Reaction

[edit]

The advertisement was pulled by the company one day after its distribution due to criticism.[9] The response to the ad's release has been described as "instant condemnation" of the PepsiCo brand.[10] The company released a statement, saying:

Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize. 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.[11]

The advertisement's creators have been widely criticized on social media and by media outlets for attempting to capitalize on imagery imitating protests in the Black Lives Matter movement, including Taking a Stand in Baton Rouge, the iconic image of a woman, named Iesha Evans, who approached heavily armed police alone and was arrested in a Baton Rouge protest in July 2016.[12][13][14] Researchers of branding and marketing have observed the identity politics aspect of the spot depicted by the marching masses, but questioned the credibility of subverting the police towards a "melting pot" model.[15] Bernice King, daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, remarked, "If only Daddy would have known about the power of #Pepsi".[16] Initially, Pepsi stated, "This is a global ad that reflects people from different walks of life coming together in a spirit of harmony, and we think that's an important message to convey".[17] According to marketing expert Mike Jackson, part of the problem was that Pepsi did not have a history of promoting social justice causes.[18] Furthermore, Kendall Jenner does not have a reputation of being a social activist.[3]

Entertainment Weekly called the ad "a tone-deaf attempt to co-opt a movement of political resistance".[3] Many current activists spoke out on Twitter in response to the advertisement, collectively expressing that it depicts an unrealistic situation that is opposite of the real-world protesting experience.[9] Specifically, users said that the ad minimized the seriousness of danger and frustration felt during police-brutality protests.[9]

Saturday Night Live made reference to the commercial in a sketch for the April 8, 2017, episode, where the ad's writer and director, played by Beck Bennett, is being chastised for the ad's content by family and friends on the phone just before filming; however, when Jenner (Cecily Strong) discusses the commercial with her friends on the phone, she astutely (albeit unintentionally) explains the true nature of the commercial's plot.[19]

The full advertisement was parodied in 2022 on the American TV series The Boys, in the fourth episode of the third season. A-Train, as part of his rebranding as a social justice advocate, advertises his line of energy drinks in a near-identical fashion to the Live for Now campaign.[20]

Some of the starring extras are locals of Bangkok and Thailand. Many were reportedly unaware of the magnitude of the protests in the US.[8]

Jenner's response

[edit]
The commercial features Kendall Jenner (pictured in 2014).

According to her family, Kendall Jenner was heavily impacted by the backlash following her appearance in the advertisement.[21] Her older sister, Kim Kardashian, released a statement, saying:

"I see her at home crying, but in the media she looks another way because she's not addressing it. The team and everyone's telling her not to, and I'm just like, 'This is wrong. You need to speak up.' She was like, 'I don't ever want to show that footage of me crying.' She was trying to not make excuses or be dramatic, but that was what she was going through at the time."

Jenner did not make a public statement addressing the situation.[21] Public backlash put Jenner at the forefront of this controversy, as Twitter users claimed that she was a talentless and privileged individual and additionally that she had no experience with racial discrimination or police brutality, making her the wrong choice for the campaign.[21]

Over eight months after the ad's release, Kendall Jenner spoke about the incident on the reality television show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians. She stated that while she initially did not see the issue with the "Live for Now" campaign, following the public's reaction, she was able to see it from a different perspective.[21] Jenner claimed that she never intended to hurt anyone through her involvement and expressed her sorrow for doing so.[21]

Though Pepsi sales hit an all-time low in the years following the ad's release, Jenner's career was not as heavily impacted.[21]

See also

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References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Live for Now

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
"Live for Now" was an and campaign employed by starting in 2012 to target younger demographics by associating the brand with themes of spontaneity, music, and immediate experiences. The initiative incorporated celebrity endorsements from musicians such as in early promotions and emphasized engagement alongside visual and auditory elements to foster a sense of youthful vitality. A pivotal element occurred in 2017 with the release of a commercial titled "Live for Now Moments Anthem," featuring model , which portrayed her abandoning a photoshoot to join a street protest and offering a Pepsi to a , ostensibly resolving tensions. This advertisement provoked immediate and intense backlash for appearing to trivialize real-world protests, including those akin to demonstrations, by reducing complex civil unrest to a simplistic product endorsement. PepsiCo withdrew the ad within days, issuing a statement acknowledging that it "missed the mark" and failed to convey intended messages of unity, while Jenner later described her involvement as a misguided attempt at artistic expression. The controversy highlighted risks in corporate attempts to align with activist imagery, ultimately damaging the campaign's reputation and contributing to its phase-out by 2019 in favor of successor slogans like "For the Love of It."

Production Background

Campaign Origins

In April 2012, PepsiCo unveiled its first global advertising campaign, "Live for Now," as a strategic repositioning to emphasize youthful optimism, spontaneity, and real-time experiences over traditional product-centric messaging. The initiative, developed in collaboration with digital platforms like Twitter, sought to recapture cultural relevance amid intensifying competition from Coca-Cola and shifting consumer behaviors toward social media-driven lifestyles. This marked Pepsi's pivot from earlier experiments, such as the 2010 Pepsi Refresh Project's cause-based funding—which allocated $20 million in grants but underperformed in sales growth—to a more direct appeal to millennials' desire for immediacy and excitement. By the mid-2010s, Pepsi had refined this experiential branding to prioritize through interactive content, such as user-generated videos and endorsements that aligned with pop events. Prior campaigns from 2015 to 2016, including tie-ins and digital activations, demonstrated measurable gains in social metrics, with Pepsi reporting heightened video views and shares among 18- to 34-year-olds, contributing to a reported uptick in affinity scores for the demographic. These efforts underscored a causal link between immersive, moment-capturing narratives and sustained loyalty, as experiential formats outperformed static ads in driving organic amplification on platforms like and . The strategy reflected PepsiCo's recognition that younger consumers valued brands facilitating personal stories over mere refreshment, prompting further investment in global activations. The campaign's evolution culminated in the "Live for Now Moments" extension, announced on April 4, as an intensification of the core theme within PepsiCo's annual marketing refresh. This sub-initiative focused on curating and amplifying consumer-submitted instances of and passion, integrating photo and video contests to generate authentic content aligned with the brand's . It built directly on the 2012 foundation, aiming to deepen experiential ties by positioning as an enabler of transformative, fleeting opportunities rather than a passive beverage choice.

Creative Development

The "Live for Now" advertisement was developed internally by PepsiCo's Creators League Studio, bypassing traditional external agencies to emphasize youthful, spontaneous narratives aligned with the brand's repositioning toward millennial audiences. The script, crafted to evoke intergenerational friction—depicted through Kendall Jenner's character shifting from a high-pressure shoot under an authoritative director to immersing in a vibrant march—culminated in a of , portraying the handover of a can to a as a bold, unifying "live for now" act that diffuses tension. This conceptual arc drew from observations of real-world , aiming to symbolize through simple, immediate connection rather than confrontation, though internal deliberations focused on aspirational resolution over nuanced . Artistic decisions emphasized visual metaphors of rebellion and harmony, with the protest sequence designed as a diverse, non-specific tableau to evoke universal themes of youth-driven change, avoiding explicit political references to maintain broad appeal. The selection of Skip Marley's "Lions" as the soundtrack stemmed from its lyrical focus on awakening a "new generation" and collective strength, which producers viewed as complementary to the ad's motif of transformative boldness; Marley himself endorsed the sync for reinforcing messages of unity and upliftment. Pre-production refinements incorporated feedback loops to heighten emotional stakes, such as amplifying the photoshoot's rigidity to contrast the protest's fluidity, underscoring a first-principles approach to storytelling where individual agency resolves divides. Internal approval processes involved iterative scripting sessions and preliminary testing, including focus groups that surfaced concerns over the protest imagery's potential to appear superficial amid heightened cultural sensitivities in 2017. Despite these flags, executives greenlit the narrative for its optimistic framing of rebellion as accessible and redemptive, prioritizing emotional resonance and brand integration over risk mitigation, a choice reflective of the in-house team's insulated creative environment. This phase concluded with finalized storyboards emphasizing kinetic and diverse previews to reinforce the ad's thematic pivot from division to momentary .

Casting and Filming

selected , a prominent model and influencer with tens of millions of followers, to star in the "Live for Now Moments Anthem" commercial due to her alignment with the campaign's emphasis on youthful spontaneity and her appeal to millennial audiences. The casting leveraged Jenner's public image as someone who "exemplifies living for now," positioning her as the narrative's protagonist who impulsively joins a . Principal filming occurred in , , in early 2017, ahead of the ad's April 4 release, with production handled by Creators League Studio. The choice of location enabled cost efficiencies and access to local crews, though it contrasted with the ad's implied American urban setting. To populate the staged scene, directors hired numerous Thai extras to represent a multi-ethnic crowd, many of whom lacked familiarity with U.S.-specific social justice contexts like protests that inspired the visuals. The shoot sequence depicted Jenner shifting from a blindfolded photoshoot simulating a production—complete with a diverse and crew—to the set, a transition filmed on location to convey real-time amid her demanding career schedule. This logistical setup required Jenner to travel internationally for the first time to , incorporating practical elements like street marches and police interactions staged with local participants.

Content Description

Plot Summary


The advertisement opens with intercut scenes of diverse young individuals pursuing creative endeavors in urban settings, including an Asian cellist performing on a rooftop, artists , musicians playing, and others cooking or dancing, alongside emerging footage of a march featuring chants, signs, and a line of uniformed police officers facing the crowd. appears filming a photoshoot in glamorous attire, including a blonde and silver , amid a lively production set. Jenner observes the nearby protest from her shoot, removes her wig, discards her outer layer, and joins the diverse group of marchers advancing toward the line. The narrative culminates as Jenner steps forward from the protesters, hands a can of to a stern-faced , who accepts it, opens the can, takes a sip, and smiles, eliciting reciprocal smiles and cheers from both the crowd and officers, suggesting a moment of unity. The commercial concludes with the appearance of the Pepsi logo and the tagline "Live For Now," set to the song "Lions" by , with a total runtime of 2 minutes and 39 seconds.

Key Visual and Thematic Elements

The "Live for Now" commercial employs a high-production cinematic style, structured as a that interweaves scenes of a photoshoot, a musical , and a stylized march to convey spontaneity and youthful energy. Vibrant urban backdrops and fluid crowd dynamics create a sense of immediacy, with the narrative building toward a climactic interpersonal . Central to the visuals is the of a can from to a , captured in a deliberate, emphatic that underscores a moment of connection amid stylized tension between demonstrators and authorities. This sequence avoids direct replication of real-world protest imagery, opting instead for a utopian aesthetic featuring harmonious group movements and symbolic resolution through shared consumption. The diverse casting, encompassing participants of varied ethnicities and backgrounds, visually nods to inclusive modern demographics while prioritizing aesthetic cohesion over documentary realism. Thematically, the ad centers on individual agency sparking collective harmony, positioning as an enabler of unfiltered, present-focused interactions that transcend divisions. PepsiCo intended this to embody "Live for Now" moments—unbounded expressions of empathy and understanding achieved via simple, shared experiences—aligning with the brand's global ethos of projecting unity and peace.

Release and Initial Promotion

Premiere and Distribution

The "Live for Now" advertisement premiered on April 4, 2017, with its initial release on and various platforms, marking the launch of PepsiCo's broader "Live for Now Moments" campaign. The video was disseminated digitally first, targeting millennial audiences through online channels, and planned for subsequent television airings in high-viewership slots as part of a global rollout strategy. Within 48 hours of upload, the ad accumulated nearly 1.6 million views on , reflecting rapid digital traction driven by its celebrity lead and algorithmic promotion on platforms like and . positioned the content within its "Pepsi Moments" initiative, emphasizing shareable, experiential marketing to foster user-generated engagement across international markets, though the core ad remained a unified global version without immediate localized adaptations.

Marketing Integration

The "Live for Now" advertisement featuring integrated into PepsiCo's broader promotional strategy by connecting with initiatives designed to foster organic viral dissemination. Pepsi encouraged consumers to participate in photo and video contests where participants shared personal "Live for Now" moments, generating authentic content aligned with the campaign's theme of seizing the present. These efforts aimed to amplify reach through platforms, leveraging user submissions to extend the ad's narrative beyond traditional advertising. Cross-promotions tied the advertisement to Jenner's personal endorsements and Pepsi's digital outreach targeting younger demographics, particularly and . As a high-profile model with substantial following, Jenner served as a , promoting products in her own channels to blend celebrity influence with the campaign's messaging. This approach supported digital campaigns emphasizing spontaneity and cultural relevance, positioning as a choice for youth-oriented consumers. Production costs for the advertisement were estimated in the millions of dollars, reflecting significant investment in high-profile talent and global filming locations such as . justified this allocation through anticipated returns on investment, including uplifts in brand sentiment and engagement metrics from integrated promotional synergies. The overall campaign budget exceeded $100 million, underscoring the scale of efforts to achieve widespread cultural penetration.

Reception and Controversy

Early Viewer Responses

The "Live for Now" advertisement, released on April 4, 2017, achieved rapid visibility, garnering nearly 1.6 million views on within 48 hours. engagement was substantial from the outset, reflecting the campaign's aim to capture spontaneous, passion-driven moments amid cultural tensions. Initial viewer feedback highlighted the ad's empowering , with some commending its depiction of Jenner interrupting her photoshoot to join protesters and facilitate a moment of via a shared , interpreted as a of connection. Shares and comments in the first day emphasized the feel-good resolution and Jenner's perceived authenticity in bridging divides, aligning with the slogan's call to "live for now." indicated that, on release day, negative responses comprised 53.3% of tracked mentions, implying a notable portion of neutral or supportive reactions prior to escalation. Marketing observers noted the ad's attempt at innovative disruption by integrating celebrity authenticity with protest aesthetics, positioning it as a bold shift in beverage to evoke unity without explicit political endorsement. This baseline reception underscored high initial buzz, setting the stage for subsequent polarized discourse.

Criticisms of Trivialization

Critics accused the advertisement of trivializing the movement by appropriating protest aesthetics, such as diverse crowds marching with signs, to portray social unrest as easily assuaged by a commercial product rather than substantive changes. This approach was faulted for depicting the handover of a Pepsi can from Jenner to a as a harmonious resolution to confrontation, thereby minimizing the documented disparities in police use of force and rates without engaging on those issues. Prominent activist , associated with organizing, labeled the spot "trash" on , remarking, "If I had carried Pepsi I guess I never would've gotten arrested. Who knew?"—a pointed implying the ad falsely equated consumer branding with the risks faced by protesters in real confrontations with . Other commentators echoed this, arguing that the narrative reduced demands for accountability on systemic racial inequities—such as disparities in fatal police encounters—to a feel-good ploy exploitative of movement imagery for sales. Media amplification intensified the scrutiny, with outlets like decrying the ad's co-optation of resistance motifs historically tied to civil rights and contemporary activism, framing it as a superficial that undermined the movements' calls for structural reform. The volume of backlash prompted to pull the video on April 5, 2017, within 24 hours of its online debut, amid widespread condemnation that highlighted the perceived insensitivity toward ongoing debates over police conduct data.

Defenses Against Overreaction

Conservative commentators argued that the backlash to the "Live for Now" advertisement exemplified an overreaction driven by cultural intolerance for any depiction of social tension that did not align with prescribed narratives of grievance and division. The commercial, released on April 2, 2017, portrayed a stylized, fictional scenario where interpersonal gestures diffused abstract protest imagery, without referencing specific real-world events or claiming could resolve them; defenders contended this was akin to countless artistic or tropes using for harmony, and the swift condemnation ignored its intent as lighthearted rather than political treatise. PepsiCo's longstanding practice of inclusive marketing undercut claims of mocking protest movements, as the company had pioneered targeted outreach to consumers decades earlier, including positive portrayals in advertisements during the 1940s amid segregation and threats from groups like the . This history, beginning with initiatives under president Walter Mack to hire Black staff and feature them in promotions, demonstrated a pattern of diversity in branding predating the 2017 spot by over 70 years, with no prior pattern of deriding civil rights causes. Empirical analysis of the ad's content revealed no satirical elements directed at activists; instead, the narrative emphasized individual agency in , a theme rooted in observational realism where small, non-confrontational acts have historically mitigated tensions in diverse settings, though such portrayals invite scrutiny in environments primed for interpreting commerce as co-optation. Right-leaning and libertarian perspectives highlighted selective outrage, noting hypocrisy in applauding celebrity-led performative activism—such as high-profile endorsements of causes at events like the —while decrying similar fictional endorsements in advertising. and others critiqued this , arguing that cultural gatekeepers tolerate or celebrate elite interventions when ideologically aligned but amplify trivial missteps into existential offenses when they originate from corporations, fostering a climate where authentic dialogue is supplanted by enforced orthodoxy. In polarized media ecosystems, this dynamic causally amplifies minor cultural artifacts into flashpoints, as algorithmic amplification and institutional incentives reward indignation over proportion, evidenced by the ad's social media mentions surging over 20,000% post-release yet yielding negligible long-term reputational harm to .

Responses from Involved Parties

PepsiCo's Official Actions

PepsiCo withdrew the "Live for Now" advertisement globally on April 5, 2017, less than 24 hours after its initial release on April 4. The decision followed widespread online criticism accusing the company of trivializing protests. In its official statement, acknowledged the misstep, stating: "Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue." The company committed to removing the content from all platforms and halting any planned further rollout, effectively ending distribution of the specific spot. PepsiCo also extended an apology to Kendall Jenner, recognizing that it had placed her in an untenable position amid the backlash. The ad, produced in-house by the company's Creators League Studio, prompted no immediate public disclosure of internal audits or personnel changes, though the incident led to scrutiny of PepsiCo's creative processes for future campaigns. Subsequent Pepsi advertisements under the "Live for Now" banner avoided direct engagement with protest motifs, focusing instead on lighter themes of youth and music.

Kendall Jenner's Statement

In the wake of the backlash, remained publicly silent initially but later addressed the controversy directly during the season 14 premiere of , aired on October 1, 2017. Tearfully recounting her experience, she described feeling "mortified" and "like s**t," admitting she had been uncomfortable with elements of the ad from the outset but lacked awareness of its broader implications, stating, "I was the face of something that I wasn't really aware of what was going on." Jenner expressed hope that the episode served as a learning opportunity, emphasizing her intent was not to offend and her devastation at the unintended harm caused. Jenner's response highlighted her relative inexperience in scripted , stemming from a career centered on modeling since age 14, with limited prior roles confined to minor television guest appearances, such as on Hawaii Five-0 in 2012. Sources close to her at the time reinforced this naivety, noting she had not anticipated the ad's potential to trivialize social movements and was "absolutely mortified" by the , viewing the project as a straightforward promotional effort rather than a commentary on . This perspective aligned with reports that she deferred to production professionals on content decisions, a common dynamic for models transitioning to commercial endorsements. Subsequently, Jenner undertook no additional collaborations with , marking the end of her involvement with the brand following the ad's withdrawal on April 5, 2017. Despite the incident, her professional trajectory demonstrated resilience, as she maintained prominence in with ongoing runway shows for major houses like and , and secured endorsements unrelated to beverages.

Support from Jenner Family

Caitlyn Jenner voiced public support for the advertisement shortly after its release on April 5, , describing it as "so cool" during an interview and arguing that it aimed to convey a message of unity and peace. She emphasized that the backlash unfairly targeted Kendall, stating, "It wasn't Kendall's fault," and placed responsibility on for the ad's execution amid heightened public scrutiny of the family. This defense highlighted Caitlyn's view that the commercial's intent—to bridge divides through everyday gestures—had been misconstrued, reflecting her own experiences with media criticism following her 2015 transition. Kris Jenner offered early endorsement via a tweet on April 4, 2017, expressing pride in Kendall's role: "So proud of you @kendalljenner! Thank you @pepsi for featuring my girl! #LiveForNow." In subsequent media portrayals of family dynamics, Kris framed the episode as a developmental milestone for Kendall, then 21, emphasizing resilience in the face of corporate missteps within the high-stakes endorsement landscape where the family has secured deals worth millions annually. This perspective aligns with the Jenner-Kardashian enterprise's reliance on brand collaborations, where individual participants often defer to agency and client decisions, illustrating systemic incentives in celebrity marketing that prioritize volume over granular creative control.

Impact and Analysis

Immediate Business Effects

PepsiCo's stock price showed minimal fluctuation immediately after the April 4, 2017, release of the "Live for Now" advertisement featuring , closing at $112.08 on April 4 and remaining in the $111–$112 range through , with no evidence of a sustained dip exceeding routine market variance. losses in the billions, as occasionally speculated in unverified reports, lack substantiation from financial data, as quarterly later rose 2% to $15.7 billion ending June 17, 2017. Consumer sentiment metrics registered temporary declines, with reporting a 21,000% surge in mentions alongside plummeting overall positivity on April 5. YouGov's buzz score for fell to its lowest in nearly a decade by mid-April, reflecting heightened negative perception, though early signs of recovery appeared within two weeks. CivicScience surveys indicated negative views of 's advertising tripled post-release, boosting awareness from 36% to 53% but eroding favorability among aware respondents. Among , purchase consideration dropped from 27% to 24% between early April and mid-July, per YouGov, targeting a for the campaign. The advertisement's production, handled in-house by PepsiCo's Creators League Studio with creative direction from Pete Kasko and filming by Picture Farm, incurred estimated costs of $2–5 million including talent fees, though the swift pullback on April 5 likely mitigated broader media expenditures projected at around $100 million. No executive firings or agency severances were reported; PepsiCo issued an apology attributing missteps to internal creative processes and halted distribution without further personnel repercussions.

Cultural and Advertising Lessons

The integration of social activism into commercial advertising often reveals fundamental causal disconnects between corporate intentions—typically aimed at fostering broad unity or relevance—and consumer perceptions of exploitation or insincerity, resulting in widespread backlash that amplifies beyond initial intent. Empirical analyses indicate that such engagements heighten vulnerability to consumer resistance, particularly when perceived as performative, with studies showing increased negative sentiment and brand avoidance among audiences who detect misalignment between a firm's core operations and its advocacy claims. This risk is exacerbated in polarized environments, where even well-intentioned messaging can trigger amplified scrutiny, as evidenced by research linking politicized brand stances to eroded trust when they fail to demonstrate substantive internal alignment. So-called "woke washing," where superficially adopt progressive postures without corresponding actions, has been empirically linked to diminished returns on investment, as it undermines credibility and fails to yield sustained loyalty or sales uplift. Post-2017 analyses of reveal that inauthentic signaling correlates with negative evaluations, contrasting sharply with authentic purpose-driven efforts that may bolster equity, yet overall data from studies highlight no reliable positive ROI for performative politicization, often leading to net financial and perceptual losses. surveys and experimental research further demonstrate that such tactics provoke backlash from ideologically diverse groups, eroding market share without commensurate gains in advocacy-aligned demographics. While these campaigns have occasionally prompted broader on the authenticity of corporate involvement in social protests—highlighting tensions between genuine movements and commodified representations—they have also contributed to industry-wide caution, potentially stifling creative expression in by incentivizing risk-averse strategies that prioritize neutrality over bold thematic exploration. Academic reviews note that the fallout from high-profile missteps has elevated internal vetting processes, fostering that limits narrative innovation around societal themes, even as it underscores the value of substantive, operationally integrated commitments over episodic gestures. This duality reflects a core lesson: effective corporate signaling demands rigorous alignment of actions with , lest transient visibility yield enduring skepticism.

Long-Term Perspectives

The advertisement, released on April 2, , as part of PepsiCo's "Live for Now" campaign, initially caused a dip in millennial purchase consideration from 27% to 24% between early and mid-July , but metrics recovered to pre-controversy levels by April 2018, indicating negligible sustained consumer backlash. PepsiCo's overall U.S. for carbonated soft drinks remained stable at around 8.3% through 2018-2020, with no attributable long-term decline linked to the ad in quarterly reports, as the company attributed volume pressures to broader industry shifts like declining soda consumption rather than the incident. In the broader advertising sector, the backlash underscored the perils of brands simulating social protest imagery for profit, leading to heightened scrutiny of "purpose-driven" campaigns that risk appearing exploitative without genuine stakeholder involvement. Post-2017, agencies increasingly incorporated diverse review panels and cultural consultants to vet content, as evidenced by industry reports citing the ad as a pivotal example of tone-deaf execution that eroded trust when ads conflated commercial unity with authentic . This shift contributed to a more polarized landscape, where brands either committed to verifiable corporate actions (e.g., policy changes or donations) or reverted to apolitical entertainment-focused messaging to mitigate viral outrage risks. PepsiCo adapted by de-emphasizing protest-themed narratives in subsequent "Live for Now" iterations, pivoting toward music collaborations and celebrity endorsements without political undertones, such as partnerships with artists like in 2018 and sports integrations by 2020, which sustained campaign visibility without recurrence of similar controversies. The episode's enduring legacy lies in reinforcing causal disconnects between advertiser intent and public perception: while Pepsi aimed for aspirational empowerment, the ad's resolution via a beverage ignored underlying protest dynamics, prompting long-term industry wariness of reductive symbolism in divided cultural contexts.

References

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