The Impact of Crisis Situation and Communication Strategies: Pepsi Controversial Kendall Jenner Advertisement Turns to Racism

Abstract

This research study examined how Pepsi advertisement affects public perspective toward racism issues and what kind of strategies that Pepsi implement to overcome the crisis. Crises, in almost all circumstances, immediately trigger a deluge of questions from an organization's many different publics. Crisis can have a negative effect onbrand image. Crisis communication experts are employed to save an organization's reputation against various threats and unwanted challenges. Crisis communication is an initiative which aims at protecting the reputation of the organization and maintaining its public image. Benoit's (1995, 1997) image repair strategies serve as the model for the foundational research study that analyzed Pepsi's image repair strategies following the controversial advertisement featuring Kendall Jenner that considered as discrimination and racism issue in 2017. In this journal, the researchers gather the data by using library research and case studies method. Based on image restoration theory, we conclude that the crisis response provided by Pepsi was using the mortification strategy, which is they admit their mistake and beg forgiveness by conveying apologies through social media, and delete the advertisement immediately