The Pepsi soft drink advert featuring model Kendall Jenner handing a can of soda to a police official at what seemed to be a peaceful protest has sparked a Twitter backlash and has been labelled as disrespectful and distasteful.

In the ad, the acclaimed model, Jenner is seen posing in a blonde wig at a photo shoot, at the entrance of a glamourous venue, while a group of peaceful protestors with placards and musical instruments march by. She later takes off the wig, wipes her lipstick off her lips and grabs a can of Pepsi and joins the protest.

A photographer takes a photo of her as she heads to the front of the crowd and hands the can of cold drink to a police official, who drinks as the crowd cheers.

The ad seems to be based on last year’s #BlackLivesMatter movement, where a protester, Leshia Evans, a young woman in a dress was photographed standing calmly in front of two police officers wearing layers of armour and appearing to approach her.

Later that day, the news of the young lady being detained surfaced and circulated on social media and that image became one of the most iconic images of the movement.

Twitter is disapproving of the ad for various reasons. Khaya Dlanga, an author and columnist took to Twitter to explain in a series of tweets why the ad didn’t work.

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Here is how tweeps reacted to the ad:

Watch: 

The description below the ad on Pepsi’s Global YouTube channel states: “A short film about the moments when we decide to let go, choose to act, follow our passion and nothing holds us back.”

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