A high-profile Pepsi commercial that came under heavy fire after appearing to appropriate a number of iconic protests has now been pulled - with the soft drink company also issuing an apology.
In the advert, which was choreographed by Kiwi Parris Goebel, reality TV star Kendall Jenner emerges from a photo shoot to join a demonstration for an unnamed cause. She is seen stepping out in front of the protest to give a can of Pepsi to a policeman who is part of a blockade, before returning to the crowd to high-fives and cheers.
But while the ad was supposed to be uplifting and inspiring, it's been derided for undermining demonstrations of genuine historical significance.
Critics have also noted that Jenner's interaction with a police officer denigrates the courageous actions of protesters at 1967's Flower Power, 1989's Tiananmen Square and 2016's Black Lives Matter protests.
Martin Luther King Jr's daughter even weighed in on the advert with a tweet dripping in sarcasm, writing "if only Daddy would have known about the power of Pepsi", accompanied by a picture of her father in an altercation with police at a Black Civil Rights protest.
Now, Pepsi have moved to remedy the matter, and have issued an apology to offended viewers and protesters - and even Kendall Jenner herself.
"Pepsi was trying to project a global a message of unity, peace and understanding," the company said in a statement.
"Clearly, we missed the mark, and we apologise. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are pulling the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologise for putting Kendall Jenner in this position."
Both Jenner and Parris Goebel, who was in charge of the dancing for the commercial, posted about how "proud" and "excited" they were by their roles in the ad on Instagram - but they have quickly deleted their posts following the controversy.
Newshub.
