Overview
- Pepsi posted the Wild Cherry line on its official Threads account and screenshots of the message spread across Threads, X, Facebook and Instagram.
- The post read, "Pepsi Wild Cherry is what happens when regular cherry stops asking permission," and many users interpreted that phrasing as making light of consent.
- Hours after the post circulated, Pepsi deleted it and issued an apology saying the message "landed in a way we never intended."
- Some commentators defended the copy as shorthand for boldness or rebellion rather than a reference to sexual assault, creating a public split over intent and interpretation.
- The controversy revived memories of Pepsi's 2017 Kendall Jenner ad and prompted questions about the company's marketing approval process and how brands manage language that could cause harm.