Pepsi lands into controversy over Suicidal Calorie ads

Post Reply New Topic

Ok, I know I'm not one to encourage negative news threads which seem to be all the rage on WP, but I was personally stricken by this one. New Pepsi ads of a lonely blue calorie about to take himself have popped up in places to advertise the fact that Pepsi Max only contains one calorie in a whole bottle, but as you can imagine it's become very unpopular. The images are as follows:






As you can imagine, there are much better ways to show that your soft drink has one calorie per bottle, but it isn't the first time suicide has been used as an advertising theme. Last year GM was 'chided' by showing a factory robot offing itself (presumable at the awesomness of a particular car), and VW ad was also pulled for showing a guy jumping off a building.

Original Article: http://adage.com/globalideanetwork/post ... _id=132952
Original Blog with other ad info (with links): http://industry.bnet.com/advertising/10 ... pepsi-max/



As you can imagine this has struck a particular chord with me since I've had to experience the loss of someone I cared about to suicide. Publicity stunt? Probably, it's got people talking about it. Never liked Pepsi-Cola anyway.

This is a cheap way to advertise something, using imagery conveying a very upsetting issue. It's not only insulting to the advertisers who thought up of this, although I question whether they were thinking at all, but it's not original either.

I guess they're going to have to change it or deal with the people upset with them. I don't know, I think it's beyond poor taste. I have a hard time understanding how such sheer lack of compassion and empathy for suicide can exsist. Yet here we have NTs still saying Aspies are the ones who lack in basic compassion or empathy for others. If that was true, perhaps I'd be able to fathom how someone could create such an ad campaign, and not hate themselves with guilt about it.

I was going to e-mail them, but it seems that Pepsi does not have an actual e-mail address, they have something called Ask Lisa, which I fathom is a AI program to answer FAQ types of questions. I just would like to know, why these companies keep hiring idiots to do advertising? Are they trying to capture the attention of school bullies and immature 13 year olds?

I know what you mean v_y, on NT's going "Aspies have got no social feeling. Now lets beat up that kid over there" type of thing.

I dislike this very greatly. Especially since the poor little Calorie is so cute.

That doesn't make me want to drink it.

That's disgusting and disrespectful to those who have attempted or committed suicide. I can't believe they'd even allow something like that to be shown to the public.

This is some of the best advertisement I've ever seen.

To me this is one of those ads where you can't tell what the hell it's talking about when you first read it. My first impression is "Pepsi will make you commit suicide", not "One calorie per bottle".

Yeah, Thats my impression too, KBABZ. I like my ads to be straight forward, get to the point without all the confusion.

I have a particular gripe against news teaser headers. For instance, "NEW ZEALAND RUGBY TRADGEDY". What the heck does that tell me?! Did we win the world cup? Did the All Blacks perish in a plane crash? Did the New Zealand Rugby Foundation realize the ball was shaped like an oval? I'd like to know just what the subject is before I read it, thank you, then I know I'm not wasting my time before I read it.

I only read the paper for the Far Side comic on Page 3

All alone in the drink? topic

Water is calorie free, as far as I know.

Advertising is meant to grab your attention. But I do not see the sense in these ads. Years ago One calorie diet drinks were advertised in a happy way. Why now so sad? That Calorie is something postive. He is Number One!! ! This is how I would handle such an advertising scheme.

Are you reading this, PEPSI?? Boost your sales!!