Since debuting its latest series of advertisements, Pepsi Max might want to consider renaming itself Pepsi Maximum Controversy.
Pepsi Max, a one-calorie drink alternative to Pepsi and Diet Pepsi sodas, collaborated with agency BBDO Dusseldorf to release a new set of print ads that depict a single, lonesome calorie committing suicide, often in violent ways. They include scenes that involve hanging, a gunshot, poison, and slitting of the wrists. The tagline: "Pepsi Max. One very lonely calorie."
Since its reveal, this contentious campaign has already been picked apart by news sources, blogs, and message boards, many of which are encouraging Pepsi to pull the ads.
Do you think it should be pulled? Are these edgy ads that push the marketing envelope, or is it a tasteless, insensitive campaign that pokes fun at a grave subject?
Vince
Miu Miu
Marshall Ward
I think it's kind of funny...
1I think it's awful. Then again, I've lost some one close to me due to suicide... so of course I don't find it funny.
2i think it's pretty disturbing...
3I lost my sister to suicide 4 years ago. It changed my life and woke me up to a very dark side that many of the people we care about live in on a daily basis until it's too late.
This is more than just a one time "oops, sorry but thank you for the PR buzz from the controversy" branding exercise.
I have NO IDEA how a supposedly world class agency like BBDO could have come up with such an insensitive ad campaign ...nor can I comprehend how a brand like Pepsi could approve this kind garbage. Are their sales really suffering to the point where using suicide as a theme to sell soda makes sense to them?
Fact: Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among teens age 15-24.
Fact: Pepsi Max targets that demographic
Fact: Recession is linked to increase in suicide rates. We are in a recession.
Fact: Suicide rate increases during the holidays. This is coming up during holiday season.
What the hell were you thinking BBDO and Pepsi?
4Horrible.
5i think it's disgusting. as someone who has been effected by suicide, it lowers my respect for pepsi.
i think they should pull the adds and apologise.
...sadly, i'm sure that won't happen.
6This won't last. This is no way to promote a product. I think it's really sick.
7Well, the artwork itself is well done and kind of neat looking, but the subject does bother me. So, I like the ad design but not the topic.
8Incredibly tasteless. Who in their right mind would come up with this...and then who would APPROVE it? I mean, someone looked at that and said, "Yeah...that's GREAT...totally the way to go."
9There is cartoon brain matter! WTF?!?
I think it's disturbing too.
10This definatly won't make it out for long. Lots of people will be complaining!
The ads will get pulled. They are too controversial. And I personally think the ads are awful... like others, I've been personally effected suicide. A friend and a classmate... and I don't wish the experience on anyone.
11It doesn't even seem like a very smart marketing move! You KNOW it's going to piss off a lot of people, and seeing that ad certainly doesn't make me think 'Pepsi'.
12I don't ever find jokes about suicide to be funny. The ad disgusts me. They'll get plenty of free publicity now that it's a controversy so I doubt they care too much.
13Whoa, this is very disturbing.
14I think it is tacky.
15these are tasteless and a bit disturbing. i understand the idea but honestly i think its a good inside joke but not a good campaign idea.
16Well, we're talking about it so its obviously effective but I absolutely agree that its in poor taste. Very insensitive. Doesn't do much for Pepsi's brand image if you ask me.
17i looooved it so much, that i featured it on my blog. excelent.
18i have experienced the tragedy of suicide but i still find these posters funny. if someone wants to kill themselves - let them. more air for the rest of us.
19At first, I found it clever, but then it just quickly turned disturbing. I don't think suicide should be turned into a cartoon or joke. It's just part of the whole idea of society becoming numb and apathetic toward important, serious issues. I guess this ad alone doesn't bother me as much as the idea that it's part of a bigger problem. Another drop in the bucket.
20when did everyone in the world become so damn sensitive?! it's just an ad, and it wasn't directed at any of you or any of your loved ones that have killed themselves. so, who cares? lighten up!
21oops ... and i think the ads themselves are hilariously awesome.
22Ehh, don't really care for Pepsi anyway, I can only tolerate it when it comes from a fountain. Canned Pepsi = caca!
23I too have know someone who commited suicide and yes its tragic. But these ads I think are not encouraging suicide at all. Its not like a perfectly happy and well adjusted person is going to be like "Oh, the calorie is killing himself...I guess I should too". The intent must be there before, it doesn't just magically show up. I'm not trying to make light of it, but its an ad. The more people talk about it the more press it will get the more people will know about it. Obviously its working and working well.
24On the same note, I think the ads are clever because of their "overkill" but at the same time I don't drink soda and this ad will not make me drink soda.
It's a pretty tacky concept, but then again, it's a giant soda company, so I wouldn't expect anything particularly sensitive or highbrow from them
25I really doubt that a cartoon calorie is going to convince someone to kill themselves. Besides, it's comical! Not romanticized or depressing.
And I love the ads!
26It's tacky. I would think that they could make the ad funny if the calorie was just sitting at home alone crying or something. To have the bullet with blood coming out of his head??? That is just horrible. I have a friend who shot himself in the head. Even if I didn't I would still think this was a vulgar campaign.
27All you people who think it is funny. I hope your kids see it and ask you what is going on in the ad. Have fun explaining it to them.
28Well said "Blackwidowchick". It's a little graphic and unnecessary for a pepsi ad...
29Im in the graphic design and advertising field, and while the art work may be well done, its is not an appropriate subject/ ad for what they are trying to sell. I find it highly inappropriate and disturbing to be selling a soft drink with the idea of suicide attached and think the ads should be pulled and whoever approved this to be reevaluated
30Suicide is very serious and is not to be made glamourous or appealing. I don't see how that's going to help people buy more of their sodas. Pepsi is obviously trying to stir up some kind of controversy...what kind of an idiot would think that suicide would be a good marketing idea?
31Seriously? Not cool. Doesn't matter if you know someone who has committed suicide or not, this are just disturbing. As a person in the industry the ad is not only extremely polarizing, in my opinion, they cross the line of being tasteful or appropriate. Some things should just not be used to sell another item to consumers. I don't think that everyone who disagrees with this ad is "so sensitive". We realize that it isn't necessarily directed towards our loves ones, but it does, unsympathetically make light of a epidemic that takes the lives of entirely too many people every year. And that is nothing to be made fun of. Besides that, there are tons of ways to push the envelope without being harsh to the point of offending people. If anyone is convinced that its not "that" offensive, try replacing suicide with another way a person has lost their life. Would it be funny if the calorie had cancer, or AIDS? No.
32What's the point of them? I mean, really? A calorie commiting suicide? That's not what I'd call creative.
It's not funny. I'm usually have no opinion when it comes to things like this, but this is creepy and quite pointless. Trying this hard to create controversy is tastless and ignorant to many people's feelings of the subject.
33I imagine they just did this to get people talking and remind people of the existence of their one-calorie soda, and they sure did succeed at the "get people talking" part, if this post is any indication.
34a lonely calorie committing suicide..that's all they could come up with?? pathetic..
35Just another glimpse into our sick society. I drink Coca-Cola.
36Tacky, tasteless, just plain awful. It trivializes suicide and loneliness.
37Very disturbing. I'm in advertising and I would probably get fired if I tried to pitch an idea like that.
38I mean I get the lonely idea... but that is COMPLETELY inappropriate. Why couldn't they just have a sad calorie on a park bench??
39Sick and wrong
40Allyta's comment "i have experienced the tragedy of suicide but i still find these posters funny. if someone wants to kill themselves - let them. more air for the rest of us."
Wow Allyta. I have also experienced suicide first hand and your callousness in your last sentence makes me sick to my stomach.
And said8me "when did everyone in the world become so damn sensitive?! it's just an ad, and it wasn't directed at any of you or any of your loved ones that have killed themselves. so, who cares? lighten up!"
Of course these ads are not directed specifically to people and nor do I believe they make people want to kill themselves however it is in poor taste to joke about such a matter.
It isn't ok to joke about people dying of AIDS or cancer so why joke about people killing themselves. This is beyond infuriating to me.
41Allyta, you are an idiot.
42First of all, the calorie looks like an M&M. So, that was dumb. That's just bad artwork.
Second of all, if I hadn't read the article first and known what the poster was about, I never would have gotten it. That's just bad marketing.
Third of all, now that I know what it is, I think it is horribly, horribly tasteless and over the line. It doesn't tell me why Pepsi One is fantastic or why I should want to buy it. It's incredibly somber and depressing, and thus, extremely ineffective and offensive.
43I am extremely hard to offend, but this really crosses a line. I am just amazed that any company would give this the green light.
44I find this ad very offensive, insensitive and banal. Suicide is a very serious issue that should not be treated in such a superficial and moronic way.
45I am totally appalled at a few of the comments on this post.
46I think the ad along with some of the commenters here are of very bad taste.
47They may have been going for a cutesy, Happy Bunny way of making a joke, but I think Happy Bunny is as effed up as this ad. Not funny, and a hell of a stupid way to drum up publicity.
48*Happy Tree Friends. My bad.
49"more air for the rest of us"? Really? Are you kidding me? And I see no problem with the world becoming a little more sensitive. Lord knows we could use it.
Suicide isn't funny, it isn't cute, and it certainly doesn't make me want to drink Pepsi Max.
And some of these comments certainly don't make me want to know some people any better.
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