Comments on: Missing the point about Pepsi’s Before you Score App?

By: charlesneville

charlesneville — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 01:38:01 +0000

Where did gay men come into it? Would your opinion have been different if Amp had versions of this app for all sexes and sexual orientations?

By: cazharo

cazharo — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:28:31 +0000

What it says to me is that women and gay men don't count. They don't even exist as consumers.
The app is offensive and it's naff.
I am so angry about this app I'll never buy Pepsi again.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:31:29 +0000

Yeah I get it: guys don't know how to talk to girls. Yeah Pepsi gets some free buzz for a drink most of us never heard of. But, no, you do not get to talk ABOUT women that way in 2009. You don't get to “score” and “brag” publicly about it, courtesy of a Fortune 500 that has a female CEO and a largely female customer base. (Who buys the groceries in most households? Say, like the Quaker Oats and the Tropicana, Pepsi products?) When you sponsor a social media event like BlogHer and tout your social responsibility on your web site, then, no, you don't get to write it off like a cute stunt that went too far from one of your sub-brand marketing departments. The apology was even more insulting. “Dude, sorry if it offended you or something. Like, whatever!” Grow up Pepsi or watch people like me make this a very, very loud problem. And we can, believe me. We GIRLS are in the media lately, or hadn't you noticed?

By: charlesneville

charlesneville — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:19:29 +0000

They probably went a bit too far with it (the 'brag' feature is pretty pointless and really only there so they can say 'and we're hip to Facebook'). However I doubt it's going to result in so much bad karma that the brand is axed but stranger things have happened. Most interesting is following a #fail from the very beginning, watching people try to make it trend, which it doesn't appear to have done so thus far. It will only become a major issue if mass media pick it up.

By: Chris Kieff

Chris Kieff — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:31:21 +0000

Charles,
Good article. And yes I did install the App and read it. And despite the tongue in cheek nature, there will be a sizable group of women who are offended. Despite it's male targeting angering a big chunk of 51% of population isn't a good idea. I stand by my prediction that Amp will die a sudden death by year's end.
Thanks,
Chris