Bernice King criticizes Pepsi in pointed tweet

A Pepsi ad that shows Kendall Jenner defusing tension between police and protesters by handing a police officer a Pepsi seems to have impressed few, and now the Rev. Bernice King, the daughter of slain civil rights hero the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., has weighed in.

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“If only Daddy would have known about the power of Pepsi,” she wrote.

Pepsi describes the piece as follows:

“A short film about the moments when we decide to let go, choose to act, follow our passion and nothing holds us back. Capturing the spirit and actions of those people that jump in to every moment and featuring multiple lives, stories and emotional connections that show passion, joy, unbound and uninhibited moments. No matter the occasion, big or small, these are the moments that make us feel alive.”

The response was swift. “Tone deaf” was one of the more printable responses.

One such response sort of summed things up: “Why is this ad still up? Do they not see the majority are appalled by this stupidity?”

Pepsi removed the ad from YouTube Wednesday afternoon.

“Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly, we missed the mark, and we apologize,” the company 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.”

Cox Media Group