Controversial Pepsi Ad Dir.: I Picked Actors ‘Without Thinking About Race At All’

The controversial Pepsi Super Bowl commercial that confused Bill O’Reilly and which got Rush Limbaugh‘s attention is continuing to generate a response from some who are worried that it perpetuates negative stereotypes. However, the director of the commercial now reveals he never even thought about race when writing the premise.

In the commercial, a black couple is fighting and the girlfriend hurls a soda can at her boyfriend after he exchanges glances with a white girl. When the boyfriend ducks, the can smashes into the white girl’s head, knocking her out cold. Director Brad Bosley said he’s completely surprised by the controversy surrounding the advertisement and claimed he had a generic couple in mind, but it just so happened “those were the best actors [he] had and [he] put them in there without thinking about race at all.”

Author Sophia A. Nelson tells 106.7 KPOV’s radio host Dawn Newton that what she found most upsetting was the use of the angry black woman stereotype. If people are still talking about this commercial now then clearly Bosley proves, whether intentional or not, that controversy leads to greater awareness, and ultimately means Pepsi is smiling very large right now.

Check out the clip below from Open Air on 106.7 KPOV:

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