As brands evolve and grow, it’s inevitable that they get more bold in their efforts to make an impact in their marketing efforts. Most ads get swallowed up in the sea of sameness. What’s more, people get accustomed to seeing the same advertising from brands, and in order to stand out, even the most established well-known brands take some risks.

That’s what we recently experienced with the Pepsi “Live Bolder” ad with Kendall Jenner. It was Pepsi’s attempt at becoming relevant again with a new generation of young people who, let’s face it, have become distant from brands like Pepsi. Unfortunately for Pepsi, the world has changed quite a bit from the days of Pepsi’s “Choice of a New Generation” ads and Coca Cola’s “I’d like to buy the world a coke” utopian world.

One could argue that we’re all human beings and most of us appreciate the idealistic messages centered around concepts like “Living Bolder” and making a change in the world. It doesn’t change the fact that when big brands preach it for monetary gain, it feels out-of-touch and disingenuous.

Don’t get me wrong. Do I think big brands can be responsible citizens of the world? Absolutely. I also think there’s a place for their voice and leadership in making the world a better place. But here’s where they get into trouble – and you can clearly see the repercussions – as people dished out a healthy serving of “no thanks” to the beverage giant via social media.

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