Pepsi advert remarkably similar to Chemical Brothers 1999 music video for single 'Out of Control'
Starring Rosario Dawson as a Mexican revolutionary promoting Viva Cola
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.As of writing, Kendall Jenner’s new Pepsi advert trends on Twitter, many people outraged by a corporate company suggesting police brutality can be solved by a sugar-filled drink.
Within the advert, we see numerous protestors holding insightful “Join the conversation” banners, marching for an unknown cause - however, it’s obviously reminiscent of recent anti-Donald Trump and Black Live Matter protests.
Of course, lots of people are drinking Pepsi throughout, but the major product endorsement comes toward the advert’s climax when Jenner hands a photogenic policeman a can of the soft drink.
The crowd then proceeds to go wild as he guzzles down the beverage.
Yet there’s something oddly familiar about the entire thing. No, we’re not talking about It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s Wolf Cola spoof, but Chemical Brothers’ 1999 music video for Surrender single ‘Out of Control’, as pointed out by FACT.
Within the WIZ-directed four-minute video, Rosario Dawson - now best know for playing Claire Temple in Marvel’s various Netflix series - and actor Michael Brown play members of the Mexica revolutionary group the Zapatista Army of National Liberation.
They face off against Mexican police while drinking lots of the fictional Pepsi-type beverage, Viva Cola. As you may have guessed, the entire thing turns out to be a crude advertisement, with Dawson and Brown’s characters celebrating with the police officers because they now have Cola!
Whether Pepsi took inspiration from the video - itself a criticism of corporate companies - is unknown. The similarities, though, are entirely striking.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments