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Rape Culture In Unexpected Places: New Pepsi Ad

Cara

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Pepsi has responded by denying and denouncing the ad. Please see this post.

Whoa.

Other ads in the series show a monkey trading a Pepsi for the keys to a truck carrying bananas, and a young male trading a Pepsi for an astronaut’s space suit.

This ad is hugely offensive on its very face, but when compared to the other ads I think it provides an even clearer picture of what Pepsi thinks of its female consumers and women in general. This is in absolutely no way “cute” because it’s a pubescent boy who is going to assault the woman, nor is it mitigated by the assumption that he won’t do anything other than kiss her. It desperately bears noting that the woman is not only unconscious, but also in need of immediate medical attention — and in spite of the fact that if you could quite literally die in such a situation without proper care, her hotness and “availability” are still the most pressing concerns. Oh, and like a bunch of bananas, her bodily rights and very life are worth a can of soda.

HA. Hilarious, right?

Contact Pepsi here. And while I don’t drink Pepsi itself, I can tell you that I’m off Pepsi’s Mountain Dew for some time now.

h/t SAFER

cross-posted at The Curvature

66 thoughts on Rape Culture In Unexpected Places: New Pepsi Ad

  2. I first saw this image at the F WORD. I am seriously hoping that this is some sort of internet fake. How could any company look at something like this and think yeah lets go ahead promote rape. Even as I write that know the misogynist society that we live in this might very well be a real ad. I just want to have one day where I am not confronted by such ugliness. Just one day, is that really too much to ask?

  3. Renee — I thought, and hoped, that it might be a fake, too. Often these things do turn out to be. However, I verified it as best I could before putting it up, and did find this seemingly popular advertising blog with credits for the ad and the name of the advertising agency. I found several other advertising blogs posting about it as though it was legit; and none of them were complaining about the rape apologism here.

  5. Oh, does this make me angry. Former devout diet Pepsi drinker here, now off soda and back on coffee unless they apologize for that atrocity.

    Grr.

  7. It looks more like he’s trading the Pepsi for the lifeguard’s shirt-compare the body language of the two guys with the characters in the other ads. Is the woman some sort of bonus that comes with the shirt? I find the ad as confusing as it is sexist.

  9. JPlum — he wants the lifeguard’s shirt so that he can perform “mouth to mouth resuscitation” on the unconscious woman. In other words, sexually assault her under the guise of medical attention. Just like the monkey wants the keys not because he wants the keys themselves, but because he wants the bananas in the truck that the keys are for, and the kid wants the astronaut uniform not to wear it around the house, but to get on the spaceship.

  10. JPlum – since the woman is need of immediate resuscitation, the obvious implication is that she’s part of the stupid trade. it’s stupid and not as clever as Pepsi seems to think.

  11. Cara: You’re welcome.

    I’m a serious Francophobe and yet I’m also distressed over what this ad purports to say about French men.

  13. Crud. That last sentence was supposed to read:
    “As much as I detest the French, I don’t like what this ad is purporting to say about French men nor do I think French women are particularly fond of rape jokes at their expense any more than American women.”

    Stupid computer.

  14. Also, off PepsiCo now

    Which is gonna be hard, because I think that’s all that’s sold at my base (Aquafina, Tropicana, Mug, Mt Dew, etc.)

  15. It’s just a very strange ad though. The only reference to pepsi is the can. There’s no logo, no branding, no further information, no further catchy saying, etc.

    I couldn’t find any answers at Pepsi’s website either but they don’t seem to have a catalog of magazine or print ads — most of their stuff was video clips, which didn’t help.

    Anything definitive to show this is a for real ad and not some geeky wanker’s idea of a desktop background that he threw together in 1/2 hour would be welcome…

  17. Pepsi is a big international corp. and they do some awful things overseas. My minister spoke out against them because they were dealing with the regime in Burma. Coke sets up factories in India and poaches all the water from the farmers.
    I say, regard all this stuff as nonkosher, and all their affiliates too, like Kentucky Fried Chicken.
    we’ll be healthier. in fact, i spoke out at my YMCA to get their stupid water vending machines out and get water fountains back in. no plastic bottles and cheaper.

  18. For anon (and anyone else with questions about the origin of the ad): Go to the CLM BBDO site and select the category ‘PRINT’ to view their ads created for print media.

  21. I went to the Pepsi Canada site and sent them the following email:

    Your ad depicting a pubescent boy trading a Pepsi for a lifeguard’s shirt, with an unconscious bikini clad woman who is obviously going to receive his “help”, is offensive, sexist and says to me that your organization is either filled with people who don’t understand violence against women or understand it and like it. I am boycotting your organization and will be telling all my friends about your advertising campaign that is offensive and treats women like treats for men and boys.

    Michelle Houle
    Vancouver, BC

  22. The link to the Pepsi site is NOT a legit site!! The ad IS a Pepsi ad, but the link to the company (as given here) is bogus and asks for your name, address, etc. regardless what “question” you wish to ask. It is NOT the real Pepsi company website. Please contact the real Pepsi here: http://www.pepsi.com/

  23. For those without flash: the image (from the ad agency’s site) is at: http://www.clmbbdo.com/media/img/PEPSI_LIFEGUARD.jpg

    I tried to find it on the French Pepsi site but no luck. I did find this little gem though:

    http://www.pepsico.fr/html/presse/detail.php?wid=242464649CBA920FD4

    le 22 mars 2007

    Nouveau!

    PEPSI LIGHT

    LE cola light 100 % femmes !

    Pepsi lance Pepsi light, le premier cola réservé aux femmes! De son goût à son look, tout a été pensé pour qu’il ne tombe jamais entre les mains des hommes… Pepsi light est le seul cola qui réponde complètement aux attentes des femmes: tendance, pratique et sans sucres, elles vont toutes l’adorer!

    My weak grade-school Canadian french translation attempt follows.

    “March 22, 2007:

    Pepsi launches Pepsi light, the first cola exclusively for women! From the taste to the look, everything was considered so as to never fall into the hands of men … Pepsi light is the only cola to respond entirely to women’s expectations: trendy, practical and sugar-free, they’ll love it!”

    Further down they talk about how it also comes in a special “slender can” version == 8oz instead of 12oz. Fits in a your hand and in your handbag! No, seriously: “il tient dans la main, dans le sac à main”

    My particular sense of black humour finds this product = hilarious. Maybe because it’s in French … If I saw the product advertised in Canada I’d probably blow a minor fuse. I’d like to say that they’d never go so over-the-top with their targeting in Canada, but that’s probably wishful thinking.

    Here’s a Romanian ad for the same brand (maybe different product, hard to tell):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzJFSkMC3iA

    hee hee! I’ve been without TV ads for almost a year … I guess I never realized how much I missed the in-your-face offensiveness. Enjoy!

  24. Jennifer

    Any Idea how to contact them from pepsi.com?

    I tried entering via both pepsi.com and pepsiusa.com and the closest thing they have appears to be that “Lisa” bot.

  26. Not only as a feminist, but a French major, to encounter such “merde” is disappointing. I happen to be in France right now, assistant teaching English in a high school; and as I have much freedom in my lesson plans, perhaps I can work this in in the context of a discussion on advertisements and sexism. (It would be helped if it could be definitively traced back to Pepsi…)

  27. Wanted to second what Kira said. I followed the links through the regular Pepsi site and somehow got around the Lisa-bot and got the same contact page as the one in Cara’s original post. The post’s link is legit.

    I don’t doubt the ad is legit, but put it this way – even if it wasn’t, the right thing to do is still inform Pepsi and demand they condemn it, once they’re aware of it. But yeah, it appears to be very real.

  28. Do lifeguards have a union, or national association? Because I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t be pleased with the implication that they sexually assault women. Since the ad implies that possessing a lifeguard’s shirt entitles you to sexually assault someone.

  29. Well, the red cross is a symbol of the American Red Cross — an organization that is probably one of the biggest certifiers of life guards in the US.

    A letter to them might indeed be in order!

  30. I can see why you feminists would be offended by this. I was going to come here to troll, because I am bored, but you guys are right. This add is very offensive. At least the model isn’t stick thin…
    I am sorry. I am really bored.

  33. Considering that they also had that ad for quite sometime using Britney Spear’s body because she’s “sexy” to sell their product, and have always been quite known to use the the sexiness = sellsellsell!, this somehow does not surprise me, but sickens me all the same.

    What’s even more sad is that the model/actress had to have agreed to do the ad, and willingly submitted to help spread such a horrible and hate-speech filled ad.

  34. I’m a first responder, and I’m p*ssed. I sent the following:

    The recent ad showing a boy trading a Pepsi to a medical responder for the chance to molest an unconscious woman (who is presumably in need of immediate medical attention) is appalling. If the blatant misogyny wasn’t bad enough, the ad also works to undermine the trust that the public needs to have in emergency first responders.

    That sort of advertisement may appeal to my teenage boys – but I have the paycheck in our house. I can guarantee you that my purchases won’t include Pepsi products from now on.

  36. Of course, if you don’t look like the woman in the ad, I guess you’re worth even less than a can of soda. Lovely messages this company is sending.

  37. Isn’t the CEO of pepsi a woman? How could she think this was appropriate?

    All wry humor aside, this weirds me out a little.

  38. Well, this ranks up there with the Hot Coffee minigame in Grand Theft Auto…Writing Pepsi and telling my sister that there’s one more reason to swear off the stuff.

  39. Ouch. This hurts a little because I just wrote a complimentary article about Pepsi for my trade magazine.

    Oh well. At least the people I interviewed had nothing to do with the ad.

    BTW, WordPress absolutely blows.

  40. I’ve been waffling about quitting cola, but this is the clincher. Hello, iced tea and filtered water!

  41. I quit soda well over a year ago and haven’t looked back. I did send an eMail letting them know that I disapprove of this kind of advertising and if I ever went back to soda, it would not be any pepsi products. This is ridiculous.

  42. I actually was switching from Dew to Lipton Green tea and guess what company makes that product? Pepsi has its tentacles in many different places.

  43. You guys worry too much about ads. It’s not promoting violence or sexually molestation. My interpretation from an unbiased male view is he just saved the women and gets a pepsi as a reward.

  44. Tim — unfortunately you’re not unbiased enough to notice that the woman is still unconscious. Which means very clearly and simply that her life is still in danger. Oh, and the fact that the lifeguard is handing the boy his shirt. Why? Because he’s so tired from saving the woman that he just can’t hold it any longer.

    Sounds nuts, I know, but maybe, just maybe, when it comes to this sort of thing the female view should carry a little bit more weight.

  46. Of course, if you don’t look like the woman in the ad, I guess you’re worth even less than a can of soda.

    Oh, if you don’t look like her, they might as well just let you drown! Hur hur.

    Seriously, what a tasteless, nasty ad.

  47. Official Response from Pepsi-Cola Company:

    Pepsi-Cola Company wants to assure you that there’s absolutely no Pepsi advertisement in circulation that even remotely resembles the creative in question. After investigating this matter further, we learned that an advertising agency developed this print ad on “speculation” and it inadvertently made its way to the internet.

    Please know that we would never use this type of imagery to sell our products. We are not using this image now, nor do we have any plans to use it in the future.

    We’re sincerely sorry that this has upset you and we’re grateful to have had the opportunity to set the record straight. If anyone following this topic would like to discuss this issue further, free to contact me at the email address listed below.

    Bart Casabona
    bart.casabona@pepsi.com
    Pepsi-Cola Company

  48. Got a similar response this morning, too–
    so relieved to read it!

    Dear Rebecca,

    Thanks for taking the time to contact us.

    I want to assure you that there’s absolutely no truth to the posting you may have seen on the internet. After investigating this matter further, we learned that an advertising agency developed this print ad on “speculation” and it inadvertently made its way to the internet.

    Please know that we would never use this type of imagery to sell our products. We are not using this image now, nor do we have any plans to use it in the future.

    Thanks again for taking the time to bring this to our attention. We’re sincerely sorry that this has upset you and we’re grateful to have had the opportunity to set the record straight.

    Sol Moledo
    Senior Consumer Relations Representative

  49. Pingback: A Response From Pepsi : The Curvature

  50. I also received a response from Pepsi Canada. They’re standard responses (as the one above), but that’s not surprising nor necessarily a bad thing.

    Michelle

    Thanks for taking the time to contact us.

    I want to assure you that there’s absolutely no truth to the posting you may have seen on the internet. After investigating this matter further, we learned that an advertising agency developed this print ad on “speculation” and it inadvertently made its way to the internet.

    Please know that we would never use this type of imagery to sell our products. We are not using this image now, nor do we have any plans to use it in the future.

    Thanks again for taking the time to bring this to our attention. We’re sincerely sorry that this has upset you and we’re grateful to have had the opportunity to set the record straight.

    Sincerely,

    Sarah
    http://www.pepsi.ca

  51. I sent an email to Pepsi condemning them for this ad, stating that it was offensive and asking them to stop running it. Here’s the response I got:

    ——————————–

    Dear Nassir,

    Thanks for taking the time to contact us.

    I want to assure you that there’s absolutely no truth to the posting you may have seen on the internet. After investigating this matter further, we learned that an advertising agency developed this print ad on “speculation” and it inadvertently made its way to the internet.

    Please know that we would never use this type of imagery to sell our products. We are not using this image now, nor do we have any plans to use it in the future.

    Thanks again for taking the time to bring this to our attention. We’re sincerely sorry that this has upset you and we’re grateful to have had the opportunity to set the record straight.

    Sincerely,

    Julieann Benes
    Consumer Relations Representative
    julieann.benes@pepsi.com
    011782709A

    ——————————–

    Pepsi claims it never ran this ad, that it was developed by an agency but never actually used, and that it somehow made it’s way to the internet. This is an entirely possible scenario. It could be that an employee of the agency thought the ad was funny, sent it to their friends, and from there it spread to the wider internet. I’m currently waiting for Pepsi to identify the agency in question. Then I’ll write to them and see what they have to say.

    Has anyone actually seen this ad somewhere other than the internet, like on a bus or billboard or something?

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  54. Stumbled on this website and have to say, I’m surprised any of you can be this crazy over an ad which does not explicitly express anything. The boy trades the lifeguard his can of Pepsi for his shirt, so that the kid can be the “lifeguard” and gets to kiss the woman. If the kid’s gonna rape her, why would he want the lifeguard shirt? Why not just give the guy the can and tell him to get lost? Yeah, this could be misconstrued as the teen’s attempt to molest the woman, but seriously, aren’t half of the lifeguards in it for the women anyway? It’s a joke – a harmless ad, which may have needed a little polishing to show exactly what it meant. It’s playing on the fact that the kid is a horny young teenager and will trade anything – even his valued can of refreshing Pepsi – for the chance to kiss this exotic model. Yeah, it’s based on sexual matters, but that’s how kids are, whether you like it or not. The model isn’t *dying*, it’s an advertisement – does the car in the Ford commercial really make the sky turn red and the streets glow neon?
    The fact that anyone can get this angry over this ad before stopping five minutes to think about what it’s really about shows a lot about the people on this website. None of you fake-character-avenging obviously overthinking women are any better than the (obviously you’d assume male) creaters of the ad in question. If you want to go after promoters of rape go after South park. Don’t try to ruin the name of anyone who doesn’t deserve it – most people aren’t listening anyway. (Next time try to make an argument that can be understood by people who aren’t rigid feminists). Pepsi’s going to give you a response that makes you happy no matter what the truth is, it’s a business, that’s how they work.

  55. Lauren;
    “I’m surprised any of you can be this crazy over an ad which does not explicitly express anything.”
    I am surprised that you see nothing harmful, insulting, derogatory or any other of a handful of negatives within this photo.
    As everyone is entitled to their opinion, you are entitled to yours, but I am appalled by it.
    There is so much wrong with this photo/ad and the many disturbing messages it can project.
    Not everyone will see it the same way as you do (thank goodness) as a harmless ad.
    I think anything that promotes negative images of woman (ie as sex objects), young boys as future sex fiends or molesters or men as perverted and weak… does NOT do anyone any good. I certainly fail to see humor in anything that suggests that sexual deviancy is funny. Maybe that is a direct result of having been molested and raped.
    I can only hope that some day people will become more aware of and fed up with the horrendous statistics on rape and sexual abuse and start to care enough about the innocent lives being destroyed… to stop treating the subject as a joke, and start enforcing laws that will protect everyone from the vile scum that preys on others.
    “The fact that anyone can get this angry over this ad before stopping five minutes to think about what it’s really about shows a lot about the people on this website.”
    The fact that you can say that shows me that you didn’t stop 5 minutes to think.
    It is insane to expect others to get the exact same message and feelings that you get… or to insult them for having a different view. Judge others and others will judge you.
    I don’t know who the true creator of this photo/ad is but I find it highly inflammatory and revolting.
    I am entitled to my feelings and opinion, just as everyone else here is… even you.

  56. Excuse me, Lauren? Perhaps you need to think about it for more than the “five minutes” you put into thinking about it (if you even put that put effort before the oral diarrhea you just spewed here.) To clarify, I am not a man-hating feminist by any means, I believe in simple equality. YOU are being sexist against men when you accuse them of taking the job of a lifeguard for the “women” and not because they might actually want to save lives. You might as well accuse a gynecologist of taking their jobs for the access to vagina while you’re at it. What a revolting accusation. Then you sit there and hate on feminists and accuse them of hating men. Stop contradicting yourself and maybe YOU’LL be taken seriously.

    And the lifeguard resuscitating the woman would not be violating her, because he is trained to do that. Allowing the boy to do it may not lead to rape, but it is very bluntly permitting him to violate her body. People who view this picture could unconsciously interpret this as permission to have access to that womans body. And just because you don’t classify kissing the helpless as rape does NOT make it right. That is violating her personal rights. And any form of violating a humans rights to their body should NOT be glorified or promoted.

  57. RE: The carbon copy replies from different Pepsi reps…

    I can certainly believe that this ad may have “slipped out” without official consent but what I can’t believe is that nowhere in those automated replies does it state that the Pepsi company is angry that this ad has “slipped out”… or upset with the nasty message it may be delivering.
    Yes, they say that they are sorry that the ad has upset the reader… but, if I had any connections to the Pepsi empire… I’d also be stating that the ad angers me as well.

    Their replies make ME feel like *they* are “sorry that this has upset you” solely because they may lose customers or gain bad publicity… not because they feel bad for the people it is upsetting… or it’s vulgarity.
    JMHO

  58. If i wasn’t a coke man before I certainly would be now. This ad is disgusting and an affront to all decent people.

  59. Did we expect anything less disgusting from these corporate a-holes? I don’t. I know what they’re about.

    The imagery of it is just sickening. Nothing more than subliminal advertising, while not very subtle, it still is what it is. Bah. Things like this do not belong in advertising, even if it is online. Molestation, rape, abuse, etc..is NOT OK, and for an ad to normalize such behavior is NOT OK either. Especially while trying to add the “cute” element to the whole thing, that’s the worst part of it. Now, not only is sexual violation ok, but also “cute”. Great, fan-effing-tastic.

    Don’t get me wrong, I laugh at a lot of black humor. However, there’s a difference AND there’s a time and a place. I often find many internet comic strips containing not so politically correct material, knee-slappingly hilarious.

    but this..

    This is not black comedy, this is pure horse crap. It is not “deliciously offensive”, nor is it playing with taboos or providing a dark social satire of sorts, which is what black humor is set out to be. So no, not deliciously offensive at all. It’s DISGUSTINGLY offensive and turns my stomach.

    However, I would not expect anything less from a corporation. They’re not there to help people or send a positive message, they’re there to make money and control as much of society as possible.

    What else is there to say except..disgusting?

  60. Although i understand why someone could take offense to this ad, i find it sad that “feminists” actually do.

    first off, the idea that the CHILD would sexually assault someone is absurd. And if the assumption is made because the child is a male then thats a contradiction in feminist beliefs. Feminism (if i am wrong about this then i apologize.) is based around the idea that stereotypes and generalizations are what create inequality. Making the generalization that since the child is male he would sexually assault her is shooting yourselves in the foot don’t you think?

    what if this was reversed, say an elderly lady trading a pepsi in order to save some attractive male. would the same principle apply? should i be offended? if the answer is no, then neither should you.

    please feel free to disagree.

  61. what if this was reversed, say an elderly lady trading a pepsi in order to save some attractive male. would the same principle apply? should i be offended? if the answer is no, then neither should you.

    Yes. I would be offended. Sexual assault is sexual assault. The fact that the vast majority of assaults are committed against women by men doesn’t trivialize others or make them amusing. And you should be offended, too.

    And don’t get in my face about the fact idea that a child would sexually assault one. Talk to whomever made the ad. Also, the kid is clearly pubescent. And pubescent underage males can and do assault people. Take it from someone who knows.

  63. Cara i can’t get in your face. I don’t even know you.
    I am aware that sexual assault is sexual assault. We are not talking about sexual assault. The ad is not explicitly implying sexual assault, that is simply an interpretation. You can not assume that the makers of this ad created it with the idea that people were going to stretch it beyond its implications. It’s this kind of over-reaching, over reaction that snowballs into censorship.

  64. Definitely an objectifying ad. And the idea of somebody doing what that kid is headed to do is repulsive.

    It’s confusing, because right now I’m trying to define my views on rape culture without getting into the the back-and-forth muck of college group battles (best available source on r.c. issues that I could find was a fairly comprehensive 1993 book, but still…) and I’m trying to get clear definition so that I don’t get sucked into extremism, better hold my own in discussions, etc. I mean, wow, weirdly enough, the rape culture vs. censorship issue is much more universal than I knew.

    But I get the sense that this ad just doesn’t cross that line, that is, the endorsement of sexual assault. The objectification is thick, but the effectiveness, at least as I can see, arises from how greatly removed from reason and decency such a trade would be. In this case, if the crime were replaced with something of *similar* magnitude, say… Say there’s a hitman wielding a steel string; in the shadows behind him, a man tied to a chair gazes in fear (with the obvious implication of impending murder); and a third party presents his payment–a suitcase of Pepsi.

    I don’t think that Pepsi would be endorsing murder, in that case–though the implication is that it’s inevitable. They’re definitely shooting for memorable shock value, taking the outrageous and the unthinkable somewhere new, but I don’t think people look at this and think “huh, fair trade.”

    …then again, some of the people who have replied here make me doubt that. ack,

  65. Pingback: Happy Sexual Assault Awareness Month « Women In Pants

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