Pepsi Apologizes for Amp Energy Drink iPhone App for "Scoring" with Women

That's completely ILL, AbiGrace.  I had no idea people even produced games like that.  With the amount of money that needs to be spent to create a video game, I just totally wouldn't have thought that a company would think they would make their money back on something like that.

Ill.

It's basically the same principle, though... Apparently, there's a market for games like that.  The game itself is the flashpoint, but it speaks to the existence of a 'community' that would enjoy that game.

In another article I read about the Pepsi app, someone said something like "They haven't taken it down yet" or "They haven't announced plans to take it down yet".  First of all, it's an app.  They can't "Take it down", because it's already out there.  They can't "Recall it" any more than I can retrieve any of my videos that people already have on their iPods.  It's already out there and people have it and are going to keep it if they like/enjoy it.

Secondly, it was built & approved for a reason.. To target a specific demographic that likes to "pull chicks", "get numbers" and "brag" about it.  There are a lot of guys that fit that demo.  As you mentioned before.. To complain about the app yet never have anything to say about the community it targeted or the everyday occurrences of the same behaviors that don't happen to be backed by a major company is a disservice to the pursuit of understanding and education on this topic.

It's the equivalent of shooting the messenger.  The people who the message was targeted to and who received the message and who ENJOYED the message are completely unphased.

~ Bill ( http://billcammack.com/ )
I blog at billcammack.com ( http://billcammack.com/ )

( http://billcammack.com )

I think part of the reason I just can't get steamed about the Pepsi app is I was expecting something more like this ( http://www.commondreams.org/further/2009/10/16-2 ) extreamly desturbing video game from Japan called Rapelay.

Thank you, Dark Hair Girl, Josephine and Diversity Inc. for sharing your thoughts and posts about the AMP app and for furthering the discussion both here at BlogHer and at your own blogs.

BlogHer Contributing Editor ( http://www.blogher.com/blog/maria-niles ) PopConsumer ( http://consumerpop.typepad.com/popconsumer ) Beyond Help ( http://mariax.vox.com/ )

Read more about reactions to this iPhone app issue here: http://diversityinc.com/content/1757/article/6294/...

I agree completely! I'm not sure who should be more insulted by this, the women that it's supposedly going to work ON or the boys that it's supposedly going to work FOR.

I run an international online women's community and we wrote a similar piece about it:

http://www.powderroomgraffiti.com/shout-it/before-...

Check it out!

Josephine
powderroomgraffiti.com

I think AbiGrace has a VERY good point.  You can see from what Dark Hair Girl posted below that a lot of the mental response to this (from women and men alike) is "Please tell me people don't think this way, appreciate this app or appreciate the type of humor within which this app was released".  This is the weak position and will always lose.

This particular response to the app says that once the app is vanquished, life will return to everyone seeing women in some kind of fantastic, unique, individual light.  The problem is that that's not how life is, and there are lots of guys that completely agree with the app.  There are lots of guys that wouldn't be able to name you 24 different "types" of women, 'matter of fact.

The opportunity (which will definitely be missed, as the three-day internet statute of limitations for scandalous posts is running out) here is for women to have a glimpse into some guys' reality which allows women to either communicate with them more efficiently or choose not to communicate with them at all.  You can't make an app that says "Here are lines you can use to get laid" without the BELIEF that there are lots of guys that would like to use lines to get laid.. Whether you're spoofing that concept or you're serious about it.  You can't make an app that allows guys to brag about chicks they "bagged" without BELIEVING that guys brag about chicks they bagged.  They don't call it Locker Room Talk/Conversation for nothing.  When there aren't any girls around, guys talk.. And they're not talking about how mentally intelligent their date was last night or how much she's into being 'Green'.  They're talking about what she looked like, what she wore, what she wore under that, what their experience was and whether or not they enjoyed that experience and are going to go for it again.

The app is an accidental glimpse into a sector of the male population.  The intelligent move is not to shoot the messenger and cry about the app without continuing to complain about the actual issue, which is the community that the app was built for and their views about women.  Therefore, I agree with what AbiGrace was saying.  It's a nice little victory to complain about a symptom, but what's it worth without attacking the actual 'problem'?

For instance.. They created that Dove Campaign and put non-model women in underwear on billboards in the NYC subways.  That was fun for a hot minute, but when it was over, what happened?  Nothing.  Models are still Models.  Advertisements are still Advertisements.  It's cool to bring something up for a minute and be like "HOORAY, US!", but without maintaining attention, interest & focus on the actual issue which is the foundation for this one flare-up, you don't end up actually making any REAL progress other than informing people that they will be shunned if they bring what's reality to some people to light.

~ Bill ( http://billcammack.com/ )
I blog at billcammack.com ( http://billcammack.com/ )

( http://billcammack.com )

Thanks for your comment AbiGrace. It seems there are two separate issues at play here. First is whether or not it is appropriate for a company like Pepsi to sponsor a branded app like this one which is what the outcry in social media seems to be directed towards. The second issue is the reality of a sub-culture of certain behaviors and gender-based perceptions which you raise.

I agree with you that even if Pepsi decides to remove the app for branding and corporate values message purposes it will not change cultural attitudes and behaviors. Your point that if what we want to change is the actual behavior not just perceptions of corporate support of such attitudes and actions then we need to have conversations with real young men and women is well taken.

BlogHer Contributing Editor ( http://www.blogher.com/blog/maria-niles ) PopConsumer ( http://consumerpop.typepad.com/popconsumer ) Beyond Help ( http://mariax.vox.com/ )

First of all the context for that is completely different becaues the CULTURE that most young people have been raised in has made it explicitly clear that that sort of overt racism is wrong, which is exactly what HASN'T happened with the whole notch in the belt way of thinking.

Second of all, if there is a market for that, let them expose themselves for the fools they are and get called on it and socially chastized.  We can point fingers at the media all we want.  People don't care nearly so much about doing what the comerical tells them to as they care about how other people percieve them.  Ex: Axe body scent whatever.   My little brother is 10 and he usues the shower gel.  He's not trying to get chicks so much as he is trying to be cool for the other guys.  If one of them were to say " Hey dude, that smells and the comercials are stupid" then it's going to be way more effective in informing his identity then if the comericals were simply banned.

The point it its OUR responsibility to affect change withing OUR community.  We can't just go around getting annoyed because we've been reminded about the uglier side of humanity once more. I'm not advocating for ignoring anything, but rather saying that it's our resposibility to shape the world we exist in, and it would be MORE effective to address the target group that this application is created for then to get mad at the marketers. 

Lets say some big company - I dont know - some preppy fashion lable, say - released a i-phone app "Outwit the Nigger".  With graphics that exagerate racial types, and text that gives suggestions to white frat boys on how to get a raise out of the "uppity blacks" Would you say - "ah well, racism exists, frat boys will be frat boys, and this app is not going to change anyone's behaviour"?

I kind of agree with Bill on this one.  While it is certainly a rediculous application, dude bro's are not the creation of marketing.  Much as we might like to place the blame on them, dude bro's exist because we let them, not because they get marketed too. 

I used to front a metal band a few years ago, and as such I spent a rather large amount of my time in bars and got to witness first hand the bro culture.  All of my band mates would probably qualify as bro's.  Most of our fans were bro's . I even dated a bro. The main thing I learned, as a woman among bro's, is that if you treat yourself with respect, and make it clear that you excpet to recieve respect, then they will treat you thus-ly.  Not only will they treat you with respect, but they will expect any other future bro to treat you the same way, which is honestly more then I can say for many a supposed female friend.

Bro's are really just a symptom of our cultures messed up sence of masculinity (which again isn't marketing's fault because most of our cultural identity is developed in relationship to family and community) If we really want to address bro culture it's going to take more then critiquing an iphone application. 

While the application may have been in bad taste, getting rid of it isn't actually going to change anyone's behavior.  To do that we will have to have some serious sit down time with our own bro's about why their behavoir isn't acceptable any more AS WELL AS addressing the way our young women treat themselves expect to be treated.

Agreed, then! hahaha :D

~ Bill ( http://billcammack.com/ )
I blog at billcammack.com ( http://billcammack.com/ )

( http://billcammack.com )

You make some excellent points, Bill, about marketing when a company has multiple brands and the social media awareness failures prior to releasing the app. I do think the company is showing some interesting savvy in their response, though, such as using the #pepsifail tag in their apology so that it would be found.

Though Pepsico has demonstrated lots of social media smarts I imagine it is impossible to vet and imagine potential social media fallout from every single marketing initiative for every single brand, general CCRB conservatism (in my experience) notwithstanding. Ultimately, I think it is good that consumer brands take some risks with social media and learn from taking those chances, however much I might be a non-fan of the app.

We will have to agree to disagree though on the value of exposing game playing by bros. :) But thanks so much for your thoughtful comment!

BlogHer Contributing Editor ( http://www.blogher.com/blog/maria-niles ) PopConsumer ( http://consumerpop.typepad.com/popconsumer ) Beyond Help ( http://mariax.vox.com/ )

Just because the app theoretically appropriately targets the AMP brand audience doesn't mean that those outside the target market will not take offense at being stereotyped or even jokes about sharing information about them.

I'm also not at all surprised by Pepsi apologizing - they cannot ignore the many voices of those offended. However, it will be interesting to see if they decide to respond to demands to pull the app.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Soundlycreative.

BlogHer Contributing Editor ( http://www.blogher.com/blog/maria-niles ) PopConsumer ( http://consumerpop.typepad.com/popconsumer ) Beyond Help ( http://mariax.vox.com/ )

I certainly think even the idea of the brag feature is offensive but according to the post I linked to from Jessica at Techno-ly Legal indicates that it is not actually functioning so at least there's that.

And, yes, does that "feature" of the app make it more offensive than much of the often offensive advertising and marketing out there that we don't get up in arms over?

I don't know the answers but excellent questions worth asking. Thanks for your comment Masha.

BlogHer Contributing Editor ( http://www.blogher.com/blog/maria-niles ) PopConsumer ( http://consumerpop.typepad.com/popconsumer ) Beyond Help ( http://mariax.vox.com/ )

Unfortunately, when your company owns so many different brands, you can't afford to specifically target any of the fringe markets, such as the so-called "bro culture".  The only way you're allowed to talk about guys using gimmicks to pick up women is if you're making fun of it and demeaning the guys for doing it.

Meanwhile, guys use gimmicks on women every day and brag about it to their boys every day.  It's just one of those things where if it's not discussed, people act like it's not there and everyone agrees to hide it.

Ultimately, hiding it is a disservice to women because y'all don't believe guys are still manipulating you like this when we clearly are, and we're never going to stop, because business is business.

If it had been Playboy or something that created this app, it would have fallen under the category of "boys will be boys" because it's along the same lines as the rest of their entire product line.  Pepsi doesn't have this luxury because they serve lots of different markets.  I'm wondering why their Social Media people didn't inform them of this *BEFORE* they released the app.

~ Bill ( http://billcammack.com/ )
I blog at billcammack.com ( http://billcammack.com/ )

( http://billcammack.com )

For the Sparks Notes Generation: An App (and Convenient Score Sheet) On How to Pick Up Women   by Regina Barreca www.ginabarreca.com

I sort of don’t want to say anything until you watch this new "app" as it is presented in the video below. My problem, you see, is that to describe it is to satirize it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBcQww5z8Uk&fea...

Okay, now that you've watched it, you get what I mean, right?

You see, I thought it might just be impossible to: 1. degrade women further in popular culture; 2. make men seem more loutish and brutish than they already appear in popular culture.

But I was so utterly and entirely wrong, that I'm feeling just a little bit embarrassed about my own naivete right now.

Because once you've learned from a student, as I did today, that any person with a certain kind of hand-held device who feels he is in a big hurry to meet women can now classify them instintaneously into 24 types and then get immediate pointers--sort of like sexual Cliffs' Notes--on how to "score" with each one, want to know what happens?

You realize you know you can't keep up with your usual level of cynicism anymore. That leaves you with a sense of loss. It really does.

I learned that when young men (Oh, god heavens, I presume these are indeed very young men? Please tell me they are very young men, like young enough to be wearing pajamas with feet and writing with crayons) secure the favors of their prey, the app encourages them report back to other men about their adventures.

You can’t make this stuff up. Compared to this, the Shakira “She-Wolf“ video was a Feminist Manifesto, like Bella Abzug rallying ERA voters or Andrea Dworken explaining her opinion about heterosexual intercourse (not fun).

Actually, compared to the level of cynicism about women demonstrated by this application, Enimen sounds like Dr. Phil.

These are not guys looking for feminine companionship; these are hyenas at a kill. Not lions at a kill, guys. Hynenas.

And yet I bet this will turn into one of those “ha-ha, c’mon-honey-can’t-you-take-a-joke?-see?women-have-no-sense-of-humor” traps where to engage with the issue in any significant detail is to sound shrill and sanctimonious.

So I won't. (I have midterms to grade.)

I'll simply let the app speak for itself.

And I'll remind myself, when passing a beverage center, that somehow this whole process of finding a girl and classifying her in 2 seconds or less and feigning interest in her most sacred passions involves drinking a Pepsi product called "AMP."

Remind me not to purchase any Pepsico products, will you? I think there's an app for that. Thanks.

# # #

I'm not sure what's more offensive - that "brag" feature, or the fact that all these women are essentially the same body with different hair styles and clothes - which seems to be saying "they are all the same in the dark" never mind their silly opinions...

An interesting point is that this is not that different from 99% of advertising we see.  Its more in your face, but the attitude is the same. Which is not to say therefore this is fine - but why do we accept the rest of it without offence? 

I am suprized that y'all are so set back by this app...and more suprized that Pespi is apologizing.  Have you seen what is on the media everyday...the "Man" show, "Jack Ass" ect...we even have crap like SAW 8 coming out...I find this app to be funny and entertaining, but would NEVER spend money on it.  We can take offense at everything, or support what we believe in and ignore the trash.