PepsiCo, Announcement

A stereotypical sissy wearing a shocking pink jacket and a blond wig is talking (with a strong lisp) in a press conference.

(In original French: "Un deux, ouille! Alors, si je suis réuni aujourd'hui, C'est que j'ai un gros gros aveu à vous faire. Ça fait des années que je garde ça en-dedans. Mais là, j'en peux plus, faut que ça sorte. Alors je vous l'avoue publiquement : Je suis' aux deux! Oui, oui, aux deux : Pepsi et Diet Pepsi! Je sais qu'il y en a des millions qui sont comme moi et qui ne se l'avouent pas. À ceux-là je dis: 'Santé, les pits!' Vive la différence! Tiens toi, tiens toi. Ça fait du bien de se vider la canette! Bravo! Merci!)

As he tests the microphone, he says, "One, two, ouch!"

"I am here today to tell you a secret. I have been keeping it inside for years. But I can't stand it anymore, I must tell someone. So here goes, I am telling you publicly: I am bi! Yes, yes, bi. I love both Pepsi and Diet Pepsi. I know there are millions who are like me but refuse to admit it. To them I say: 'Cheers, sweeties!' Vive la différence!"

As he kisses both bottles, "Here you, here you. It feels good to spill one's guts! Bravo! Thank you!"

This commercial aired frequently on French-Canadian television and features an actor who has appeared for years in Pepsi's French-language ads for Canada. The company declined to provide a copy of the commercial. In 2002, Pepsi became the first soft drink anywhere to advertise directly to the gay market, by sponsoring a program on Canada's PrideVision, the first 24-hour gay network in the world, though Coca-Cola has sponsored Montreal's gay pride events, known as Divers/Cite.

Also in 2002, Pepsi Australia ran a commercial that features a wrestler who tries to kiss a female fairy. Their lips almost touch but, as he comes out of his dream, she disappears and turns into his real male opponent, who he then violently head-butts. Complaints from Victoria's gay community resulted in an investigation by the country's Advertising Standards Bureau.

Darren Borg, marketing director of Pepsi Australia, defends the ad as less gender-specific and not about that at all "it's a competition between two wrestlers." Borg notes that independent local bottlers in Australia have been supportive of the gay community as sponsors of gay events -- but not corporate Pepsi, and the commercial in question continued to run.