The ad was an attempt to reach out to millennials, but following intense social media criticism, a Pepsi spokesperson said in a press release that it was pulling the ad. 
 
 "Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding," the release said. "Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are removing the content and halting any further rollout." 
 
 People took to Twitter to comment, with comedian Travon Free saying: "The Kendall Jenner Pepsi fiasco is a perfect example of what happens when there's no black people in the room when decisions are being made." It was retweeted more than 4,800 times. 
 
 Another tweeter wrote: "Can't believe Kendall Jenner just solved institutionalized racism and oppression by giving a cop a Pepsi. Groundbreaking." 
 
 The ad has also been compared with the image of Ieshia Evans who was arrested by police at a protest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2016. Taryn Finley wrote: "Could you be any more blatant with the disrespect and appropriation of a movement, @Pepsi? Is this a sick joke?!" 
 
 A Pepsi spokesperson said in an emailed statement: "This is a global ad that reflects people from different walks of life coming together in a spirit of harmony, and we think that's an important message to convey." 
 
 Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. ||||| Pepsi has a new ad out starring Kendall Jenner…and a hell of a lot of protesters. 
 
 It’s not entirely clear what the people marching in the streets are protesting––the signs mostly say generic things like “Peace,” “Love,” and “Join the Conversation.” 
 
 And towards the end, Jenner even hands a can of Pepsi to a cop. 
 
 As you can imagine, this is going over extremely well on Twitter: 
 
 In fairness to Pepsi, their ad did bring people together. — Josh Barro (@jbarro) April 4, 2017 
 
 When you realize your entire 8 year goal of socially engineering America ends with a Kendall Jenner Pepsi commercial pic.twitter.com/6upt1ITPbb — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) April 4, 2017 
 
 if only she’d given them a pepsi pic.twitter.com/rVM8jkJrG4 — darkwing duck fan (@vmochama) April 4, 2017 
 
 Pepsi just made the commercial of the year for Coke. — John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) April 4, 2017 
 
 Kendall Jenner gives a Pepsi to a cop and rids the world of -isms. Y’all can go somewhere with this tone-deaf, shallow and over-produced ad. pic.twitter.com/CEr4cAw3Ld — Taryn Finley (@_TARYNitUP) April 4, 2017 
 
 Inside the Pepsi ad pitch meeting: 
 
 “… and then Kendall Jenner solves oppression by handing an attractive policeman a Pepsi…” https://t.co/paXWbtSKPu — Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) April 4, 2017 
 
 most important in that Pepsi ad: why would that guy bring a cello to a protest — Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) April 4, 2017 
 
 it’s time to die https://t.co/HPZyPgs3G4 — rainn trillson (@bijanstephen) April 4, 2017 
 
 the Boston Tea Party, but, like, Pepsi cans are throwing Coke cans into Boston Harbor? — Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) April 4, 2017 
 
 I have a dream that one day Pepsi will hire enough black & brown people to make better decisions. — Clint Smith (@ClintSmithIII) April 4, 2017 
 
 Well, at least they got people to join the conversation. 
 
 You can watch the ad above. 
 
 UPDATE –– 4/5, 2:20 pm ET: Pepsi has taken down the ad and apologized. 
 
 [image via screengrab] 
 
 — — 
 
 Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac 
 
 Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com ||||| Kendall Jenner's new ad for Pepsi has fallen flat. 
 
 After pumping up the excitement for her new role as a Pepsi spokesperson, the model unveiled her debut ad on Tuesday and quickly became the target of backlash, as did the soda company. 
 
 In the ad, Jenner is seen participating in a photo shoot and becomes distracted by a group of protesters. She decides to join them, and toward the end, comes face-to-face with a stoic police officer. She offers him a Pepsi and he accepts the drink before cracking a smile. 
 
 The ad was quickly accused of appropriating the Black Lives Matter movement and using social justice to sell soda. 
 
 The imagery was also thought by some to be far too similar to photos of Ieshia Evans, a protester who was detained by law enforcement while protesting in Baton Rouge following the shooting death of Alton Sterling at the hands of police. 
 
 Kendall Jenner: Can I copy off of you? 
 
 
 
 Iesha Evans: No. 
 
 
 
 Kendall:* Looks over shoulder anyway* 
 
 Damn that. I'm getting this Pepsi money. pic.twitter.com/NUXwCZnM7p — C I L L My Landlord (@GuruBluXVIII) April 4, 2017 
 
 "Pepsi's new ad Kendall Jenner 'ends racism' by handing police men a Pepsi - way to degrade 50 yrs of black/minority struggle," wrote one person on Twitter. 
 
 Lmao Pepsi's new ad Kendall Jenner 'ends racism' by handing police men a Pepsi - way to degrade 50 yrs of black/minority struggle — Hanorah (@HanorahHardy) April 4, 2017 
 
 "Can you believe Kendall Jenner solved all the Black Lives Matter issues by giving a Pepsi to a cop? inspiring," wrote another, sarcastically. 
 
 can you believe kendall jenner solved all the black lives matter issues by giving a pepsi to a cop? inspiring. — Danii G (@gerbatron) April 4, 2017 
 
 "Next time @pepsi do one where Kendall Jenner marches to Montgomery but the cops don't bludgeon her bc she's white & has a refreshing @pepsi," added New Yorker contributing writer Jia Tolentino. 
 
 Community organizer Deray McKesson also commented on the ad, tweeting, "If I had carried Pepsi I guess I never would've gotten arrested. Who knew?" 
 
 If I had carried Pepsi I guess I never would've gotten arrested. Who knew? — deray mckesson (@deray) April 5, 2017 
 
 The ad was part of what Pepsi was calling its "moments" campaign. 
 
 Jenner's ad was called "Jump In," "a short film about the moments when we decide to let go, choose to act, follow our passion and nothing holds us back," according to a company description. 
 
 In a statement to CNN, Pepsi said: "This is a global ad that reflects people from different walks of life coming together in a spirit of harmony, and we think that's an import message to convey." 
 
 Jenner has not weighed in on the backlash. 
 
 As of 11:30 p.m. ET, the ad featuring Jenner had been viewed more than 280,000 times.
– Pepsi has given up trying to defend what some people are calling the worst ad of all time. The company has pulled its widely ridiculed ad featuring Kendall Jenner as a model who joins a protest and hands a can of Pepsi to a riot cop, the AP reports. "Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace, and understanding," the company said in a statement. "Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize." Pepsi also apologized to Jenner for putting her "in this position." The ad, which showed protesters with signs like "Join the Conversation," was strongly criticized for hijacking the imagery of real protest movements like Black Lives Matter to sell soft drinks. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., delivered one of the most powerful criticisms, tweeting a photo of her father being pushed back by police at a protest march and quipping: "If only Daddy would have known about the power of #Pepsi." Stephen Colbert was among the late-night hosts poking fun at the ad on Wednesday, the Independent reports. "We have a deeply divided nation," said the Late Show host. "But today, it seems that everyone has come together to join the protest against the new protest ad from Pepsi." He described the "Join the Conversation" banner as "the most corporate message ever."