4th Gen K-Pop group and Peak Time winner VANNER‘s latest brand endorsement has been met with clashing reactions.
VANNER and Pepsi Korea recently shared a post announcing that the group is part of the 2024 PEPSI FESTA : THE NEW ERA lineup. Fellow performing acts include IVE, CRAVITY, BOYNEXTDOOR, and many more.
View this post on Instagram
Fans were happy for VANNER, as it will give them more exposure. Pepsi is also a worldwide-known brand.
Yet, most of the comments expressed disappointment. Many said they couldn’t support it because they were boycotting Pepsi.
Since October, the death toll in the Gaza Strip has reportedly surpassed 38K due to Israeli attacks. Over 80K Palestinians have been injured, starved, displaced, etc.
People are calling for a ceasefire and attempting to help Palestinians as best they can. A common way to show one’s support for Palestine is joining the nonviolent Palestinian-led movement BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions).
At first glance, Pepsi is not included in the official BDS boycott list. Yet, PepsiCo, the parent company of Pepsi and many other products, is highly encouraged to boycott. PepsiCo actually owns SodaStream, which is in the consumer boycott targets. This brand is known for producing machines that add carbonation to drinks, allowing consumers to make their own sodas at home. While SodaStream was founded in England, it is currently Israeli-headquartered.
Additionally, PepsiCo owns 50% of hummus brand Sabra. Both it and SodaStream profit from the Israeli occupation of Palestine, so pro-Palestine allies boycott these companies.
Israel is considered an “apartheid state” due to its illegal occupation and administration of Palestine. According to Wikipedia, “Zionism is a nationalist movement that emerged in Europe in the late 19th century as a colonial project in pursuit of the establishment of a homeland for the Jewish people, ideally in Palestine, a region roughly corresponding to the Land of Israel in Jewish tradition.”
Israel’s policies and actions in its ongoing occupation and administration of the Palestinian territories have drawn accusations that it is committing the crime of apartheid. Leading Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights groups have said that the totality and severity of the human rights violations against the Palestinians residing in the occupied territories, and by some in Israel proper, amount to the crime against humanity of apartheid. Israel and some of its Western allies have rejected the accusation, with the former often labeling the charge antisemitic.
— Wikipedia
On the other hand, VANNER has been endorsing Pepsi for a while. The members promoted the soda in May 2023.
[#영광]
역시 콜라하면 펩시!!!💙🥤💙#VANNER #배너 #YEONGGWANG#PEPSI #펩시 #PEPSI_ZERO_SUGAR #펩시제로슈거#나도펩시 #광고 pic.twitter.com/bGXcCWPN3S
— VANNER 배너 (@VannerOfficial) May 6, 2023
[#혜성]
PEPSI처럼 톡쏘는 하루🧡
혜성이와 함께하세요😎#VANNER #배너 #HYESUNG #PEPSI #펩시 #PEPSI_ZERO_SUGAR #펩시제로슈거#나도펩시 pic.twitter.com/OCEQkj2vr1— VANNER 배너 (@VannerOfficial) May 5, 2023
[#GON]
곤이의 맵시는 펩시에서 나온다😎#VANNER #배너 #PEPSI #펩시 #PEPSI_ZERO_SUGAR #펩시제로슈거#나도펩시 #광고 pic.twitter.com/k40baZQcBI
— VANNER 배너 (@VannerOfficial) May 5, 2023
VANNER was also part of the lineup of 2023 PEPSI FESTA.
[📢]
썸머 페스타 2023
PEPSI SUMMER FESTA 2023#VANNER 가 함께합니다!✔일시 : 2023/8/5(토) 6PM
✔장소 : 서울 잠실실내체육관#배너#펩시 #Pepsi #썸머페스타2023 #SUMMERFESTA2023#펩시콘서트 #Pepsi_Concert pic.twitter.com/JsKVlTtDn0— VANNER 배너 (@VannerOfficial) May 25, 2023
So, it’s likely that VANNER signed a contract with Pepsi long before a boycott was known worldwide, as it wasn’t until October 2023 that many became informed of the issue.
Some IVE fans are also boycotting their latest release due to Pepsi. Read more below.
