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Pepsi kills controversial iPhone app
Soft drink giant PepsiCo has decided to remove from Apple's App Store a controversial iPhone and iPod touch application criticized for its insensitive portrayal of women. AMP UP Before You Score--a free application touting PepsiCo's Amp Energy drink and touted as a "road map to success with your favorite kinds of women"--generated user reviews calling the app "sexist and stupid" and "a great new case study for branded apps gone wrong." Pepsi eventually turned to its Amp Energy Twitter feed to apologize, but did not immediately pull the app from circulation--at the time, a spokesman informed The Wall Street Journal the firm is still "looking at the situation and evaluating its options."
PepsiCo has now determined that the best option is getting rid of AMP UP Before You Score for good: "We have decided to discontinue the AMP iPhone application," reads a statement sent to Mashable. "We've listened to a variety of audiences and determined this was the most appropriate course of action."
For more on PepsiCo's decision:
- read this Mashable article
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Apple removes controversial ‘Baby Shaker' app
Comments
Posted by Tom Winans | October 23, 2009 - 12:36pm
Too bad Pepsi had to get public opinion when appropriate behavior in advance of release could have saved a bit of its own resources.
I would not consider the add pushing the envelope at all. It was simply stupid and the ad company and folks within Pepsi condoning/supporting the ad should be fired. THAT would be "the most appropriate course of action."
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