Kendall Jenner thought starring in a Pepsi commercial would be a highlight in her career, but the job turned out to be the exact opposite.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
"She loves being a model. To get a Pepsi gig was a big deal. She was very excited. She never expected it to receive such backlash. She hopes people understand that she wasn't involved in the creative process."
Pepsi initially defended its commercial -- which featured a multi-racial march in the streets and Jenner handing a nearby police officer a Pepsi to seemingly ease tension -- saying it conveyed an "important message" about the "spirit of harmony" during a time of political unrest and racial protests in America.
However, the company pulled the campaign after backlash on social media showed no signs of stopping.
"Pepsi was trying to project a global a message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize," the brand had said in a statement.
"We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are pulling the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position."
Pepsi released the ad campaign on Tuesday, when rage and criticism sparked from people saying the company never should have used imagery and the spirit of current movements such as Black Lives Matter to sell a product. The commercial was called disrespectful, tasteless, brand-destroying and much more.
"Kendall is still abroad working. She has been in constant communication with her mom [Kris] and sisters," according to the source. "Everyone is being very supportive and ready to give advice. Kendall is young and certainly not used to being involved in such controversy."
Jenner, whom a Kardashian family insider believes is "absolutely mortified" over the turn of events, has yet to comment on the pulled commercial. She noticeably, however, deleted all tweets related to the Pepsi ad.
"Kendall loves modeling. She just wants to do a good job," the source told People. "She has no desire to be a part of something controversial. She is very aware of the backlash and [is] not happy. They are coming up with a plan on how to deal with it. She has been talking to her mother about it."
The family insider previously claimed Jenner attempts to avoid "anything offensive" because she "means well, always."
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
