Pepsi To Target Black Moms

To ignore white ethnicity is to redouble its hegemony by naturalizing it. Without specifically addressing white ethnicity there can be no critical evaluation of the construction of the other. -Coco Fusco

Pepsi has a new advertising campaign targeting African American moms. Never mind that soda/pop/cola (whatever you want to call it) isn't healthy.

And why does nearly every promotional campaign have to be wrapped around some inspirational message? Now that everyone spends all their time talking about how horrible it is to be black, including allegedly proud blacks, corporations are telling you how to do better and love ourselves with their own Web sites like Pepsi we inspire.

Don't get me wrong companies. I don't want you to ignore us. I want you to include us. And these special campaigns always seem to reinforce that we are the "other". How about you just put some black people doing normal stuff in your ads and commercials? How about your Human Resources department practice equal hiring? That is what I want corporations to do. I'm all about corporate responsibility and getting publicity through charitable projects. So, I'm not mad at you, but this just doesn't make me as excited as what you were hoping.

But thats just me. I tend to be a bit contrarian. These campaigns just remind me of the special all Black Italian Vogue issue. Where did that collectible get us?

Am I being completely unfair to Pepsi and other companies?