Sunday, December 18, 2011

Pepsi can on IRAQ base

I saw this photo posted on a friends wall from a Roland Martinez with the following write up:

FB family I need your help, so today while in Iraq shutting down one of the bases there ironically enough I stumbled upon this can of diet pepsi. Take a close look at the picture and tell me the first thought that comes to your mind. Mine and many other of my brother in arms was not a pleasant one so I just want to make sure we re not bias. If you see the same thing I did, I will never ever buy another Pepsi product again, this is an insult. Thank you for your feedback and participation.






Here is the photo below:




I've also made the image larger so that you can see what this soldier is referring too: 




Please judge for yourselves






Snopes.com has posted a response to this on their site.

Pepsi America has also released a statement on their site :
"The can design you're referencing is one of two local Diet Pepsi can designs from our Middle East/Africa region, which was created by a South African design agency. The image was intended to portray the growth of active cities in the region.

We understand from some of our consumers that the design can be misinterpreted, which was never our intention. We have taken action to change the design of the can."
Related Article :
Dubai Refreshments launches special edition Pepsi cans in 50-year celebration
**Thanks to "Auntybrat" for the updates








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11 comments:

  1. Weezie106001December 18, 2011 at 4:00 PM

    Dave, I have posted this almost everywhere I can think of, I have even contacted Anderson Cooper at CNN, now whether he contacts back is another story ...

    ReplyDelete
  2. auntybratDecember 18, 2011 at 4:09 PM

    Dave, you will know I have been looking in to this, as I plan to write about it. In a group I belong to, they have this:


    It's NOT Pepsi AMERICA that did this, but this is the statement from Pepsi:

    The can design you're referencing is one of two local Diet Pepsi can designs from our Middle East/Africa region, which was created by a South African design agency. The image was intended to portray the growth of active cities in the region.

    We understand from some of our consumers that the design can be misinterpreted, which was never our intention. We have taken action to change the design of the can.

    End quote.

    http://www.ameinfo.com/216441.html

    Go read the AME link, too.I had also contacted Pepsi before I found this, asking for an official response to this. Also sent an FB message to Roland. Haven't heard back from either yet.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ccurlsDecember 18, 2011 at 5:34 PM

    I've posted this on my Facebook status and people are disgusted. My brother was in Iraq for a tour and recently came back. This is very disturbing that someone could have designed this can. I don't care what it's "supposed" to mean or for what region it was designed for. It's disturbing and outrageous.

    ReplyDelete
  4. DaveMurYYC December 18, 2011 at 6:04 PM

    Thanks for the updates Auntybrat, I've updated the blog with your info.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rose M. WelchDecember 18, 2011 at 6:30 PM

    "I don't care what it's "supposed" to mean or for what region it was designed for. It's disturbing and outrageous."

    ^^ So everyone, everywhere should understand and recognize the markers from a single act of terrorism that happened in a country that they don't live in and will never visit?

    Do you recognize the markers from any of the hundreds of attacks that people in the Middle East have suffered through in the last decade? I think not.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Rayw2uDecember 18, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    I was also appalled by this and posted the can on Pepsi's FB wall this morning. It and the comments posted to it were removed within hours. I also contacted FOX news. So far, I have not seen any responses.

    ReplyDelete
  7. evalenagriegoDecember 18, 2011 at 9:13 PM

    come on people just because there is a city with two of the same buildings of the same size and a plane flying over does not mean any thing look on both sides there is two buildings of the same side to me it looks like a city a road and a skyline with a plane typical for any big city for a plane to be flying over ignorance like this is what keeps us behind open your mind and thoughts dont be so shallow sorry just hade to say it the way i see it oh and pepsi sucks any way lol :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rose M. WelchDecember 18, 2011 at 10:18 PM

    And there are clearly buildings in between the two tall building in this skyline. It's pretty clearly not New York. I mean, I'm glad they changed the can, because the resemblance may have been triggering to some folks, but it's silly that so many people are flipping out because non-USians don't have a US perspective.

    ReplyDelete
  9. GinkelmierDecember 19, 2011 at 6:10 AM

    As of this morning it appears they closed down the original posters facebook post...i thought this was a free speech country...i had it shared on my facebook page and it is now deleted..

    ReplyDelete
  10. Otto FactoryDecember 20, 2011 at 7:27 AM

    Im actually more offended that pepsi sponsors the X factor rather than this "look to far into it" pepsi can.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Rose M. WelchJanuary 7, 2012 at 11:55 PM

    Christina, free speech has nothing to do with what you can and can't say on Facebook, because Facebook is not a government entity. Please, people, take a civics class before you talk about free speech.

    ReplyDelete

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