Why Kendall Jenner is facing backlash for her new 818 Tequila campaign
By Diana Nosa
The Kardashian-Jenner clan are no strangers to backlash as some of their products in the past haven’t sat well with the general public, and it seems that yet another business venture is leaving a sour taste in some people’s mouths.
Kendall Jenner recently launched her tequila brand 818 Tequila and, initially, the drink was met with a lot of praise. While the taste of her drink is being well-received, her marketing for the brand seemed to rub people the wrong way.
Why is Kendall Jenner facing controversy?
Being that tequila is ingrained in Mexican culture, many saw Jenner’s recent campaign, which featured aspects of Mexican culture, as cultural appropriation. See the ad from 818 Tequila’s Instagram down below:
According to BuzzFeed, one Twitter user, @talkfashloueh, explained why tequila is so important to the Mexican culture and how Kendall Jenner’s entire brand, as well as her advertisements, are offensive. They stated in one tweet:
"Why is tequila so important in the mexican culture? It’s important because no other country can produce Tequila; it’s an important beverage that we use when we are happy, sad, celebrating, mourning etc. And it’s important for the country’s economy."
The user then went on to state that the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star is spreading “huge misconceptions” about the culture in her ad, explaining that “we [Mexicans] do not ride horses all the time” and “do not wear our hair in braids all the time.”
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time the American model has had a run-in with controversy.
Back in 2017, Kendall Jenner faced tons of criticisms for filming a tone-deaf Pepsi commercial at the beginning of the Black Lives Matter movement and was accused of trivializing police brutality against Black people.
She has since apologized for her participation and made a vow to educate herself, which shows that she respects the constructive criticisms and corrects her mistakes.
Kendall Jenner has yet to make any statements or apologies regarding her recent advertisement’s backlash, but once she does, we’ll be sure to let you know.
What do you think of the backlash? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.