Kendall Jenner 'devastated' by Pepsi ad backlash

Kendall Jenner is reportedly "devastated" by the controversy surrounding her Pepsi advert.

The 21-year-old model plays a central role in the drinks company's 'Jump In' promotional film, but Pepsi has already decided to scrap the campaign after it received a wave of criticism for supposedly trivialising the Black Lives Matter movement.

A source said: "This is the first controversial campaign she has been involved with. Even though she had nothing to do with the production and the message of the campaign, she will be blamed for this since she is the face."

However, Kendall is expected to be able to recover from the controversy, with a source close to the dark-haired beauty insisting it has not done irreversible damage to her reputation.

The insider told ET Online: "This is not a career breaker for her."

Kendall Jenner in Pepsi's ad. Photo / Youtube

In the short film, Kendall skips out of a photoshoot to join a throng of young campaigners waving placards with slogans such as 'Join the Conversation', before she approaches a surly-looking police officer and hands him a Pepsi can as a sign of peace.

In response to the criticism, Pepsi has pulled the advert and has released a statement admitting the firm "missed the mark" with the campaign's message.

The statement reads: "Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologise. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are removing the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologise for putting Kendall Jenner in this position. (sic)"

Meanwhile, the insider also acknowledged Pepsi had made a mistake in hiring Kendall for the role.

The source explained: "The original intent of the commercial was to mirror all the global protests trying to make this world a more equal place for everyone.

"But they shouldn't have had a celebrity face tied to it if they wanted to try and send a strong message like this."