Survey: 2 Out of 3 Women Offended by Pepsi Max Super Bowl Ad

In a recent survey taken at YourBlackWorld.com, two-thirds of the female respondents said that black women should be offended by the recent Pepsi Max Super Bowl ad featuring the violent African American female. In the survey, when asked, Do you feel that African American women should be offended by the Pepsi Max ad featuring the "angry black woman?," 63.7 percent of the black female respondents said "yes," while 32.4 percent of the male respondents gave the same reply.

When asked if African Americans should boycott Pepsi because of the ad, women were more than twice as likely to advocate for a boycott than men. Thirty-seven percent of all female respondents to the survey said that a boycott is necessary, while 16.2 percent of male respondents agreed.

Another question was asked about whether or not black females are more controlling than women of other races. When asked, "Do you think that black women tend to be angrier and more controlling than women of other ethnicities?", men were nearly four times more likely than women to say "yes." A full 27.7 percent of the male respondents said that black women are more controlling than other women, while only 7.7 percent of female respondents agreed. Roughly half of all respondents of both genders claim that race has nothing to do with it. The survey participants were those who visited the website YourBlackworld.com, which features content for an African American audience.

This survey tells us a lot about the perception of black women in America. For good reason, black women are far more sensitive to their public image than other groups. It is not uncommon to see ads in which black women are either presented as angry, hostile creatures or shown to be meaningless sex objects. This is unfortunate, since most of us know quite a few black women who have amazing gifts to share with the world.

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For Colored Girls: An In-Depth Look

Written and directed by Tyler Perry, the film 'For Colored Girls' is based on Ntozake Shange's award-winning 1975 play, 'For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf.' The play morphed into an Emmy Award nominated television special and is still being performed around the world. BlackVoices.com presents a closer look to the remarkable cinematic effort.

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BlackVoices.com

For Colored Girls: An In-Depth Look

Anika Noni Rose (as Yasmine), Kerry Washington (as Kelly), Janet Jackson (as Jo), Kimberly Elise (as Crystal), Phylicia Rashad (as Gilda), Loretta Devine (as Juanita), Tessa Thompson (as Nyla) and Thandie Newton (as Tangie) in the rooftop scene of 'For Colored Girls.'

For Colored Girls: An In-Depth Look

Janet Jackson stars as 'Jo' in 'For Colored Girls.' Jo is a high-powered businesswoman who has virtually willed herself to forget her tough upbringing. "Jo's very driven, and she's not the nicest person on the block," said Jackson.

For Colored Girls: An In-Depth Look

Jo is married to stockbroker Carl (played by Omari Hardwick). She is also the head at a major fashion magazine titled Robe Rouge.

For Colored Girls: An In-Depth Look

Jo and Carl (Omari Hardwick) in a scene at the opera in 'For Colored Girls.' This marks Jackson's third outing with Tyler Perry having done 'Why Did I Get Married?' and its sequel 'Why Did I Get Married Too?'

For Colored Girls: An In-Depth Look

Omari Hardwick is Carl, a stockbroker and husband of Jo (Janet Jackson). "I think he's sexually, not necessarily as confused as the cliché down-low man who's living with a woman but carrying on an affair with a man would be, I think it's a little bit deeper than that," said Hardwick.

For Colored Girls: An In-Depth Look

Loretta Devine stars as 'Juanita' in 'For Colored Girls.' Devine was a young actor in graduate school when 'Colored Girls' became an Off-Broadway sensation in 1976. She successfully auditioned for a role, but had to turn it down when she was unable to obtain the scholastic leave of absence. She went on to make history at Lorell Robinson in Broadway's 'Dreamgirls.'

For Colored Girls: An In-Depth Look

Juanita keeps it real with her students in 'For Colored Girls.' Juanita is a nurse who has opened a women's health and wellness clinic at a Harlem community center. She doles out condoms and a message of empowerment to young women, but struggles in vain to resist the charms of her two-timing boyfriend.

For Colored Girls: An In-Depth Look

Juanita her man Frank (played by Richard Lawson) in an emotional scene in 'For Colored Girls.'

For Colored Girls: An In-Depth Look

Richard Lawson is Frank, the smooth-talking, faithless lover of Juanita (Loretta Devine). "Frank is a Vietnam vet who came back and is trying to get his life together. One of the ways he does that is to try to impress and charm women; it's the one thing he can control in his life," said Lawson.

For Colored Girls: An In-Depth Look

But we'd be remiss if we didn't also consider the obvious. For some, part of being a black woman comes with a dysfunctional way of managing pain and disappointment, starting from the missing father in the household, and taking this hostility out on the world. What some call the "strong, intelligent sistuh" can sometimes be the woman who stomps on your feelings before you get a chance to disappoint her like her father did.

Some of us seem to think that life should imitate art, and I've personally seen a lot of black men and women who feel obligated to replicate the imagery being presented in the media. So based on the survey results, it appears that the perception of the "angry black woman" in the Pepsi Max commercial is also shared by quite a few black men and even some women too. Those black women who think that the woman's behavior in the commercial is somehow appealing or acceptable must quickly realize that being uptight, mean and abrasive is never an attractive quality for anyone in a relationship. I'd personally be turned off by any woman who "loved" me enough to throw a can of Pepsi at my head or shove my face into a pie. But fortunately, most of my black female family and friends would never do such a thing.

From a business perspective, it appears that Pepsi Max is trying to ensure that it's Super Bowl ads are being discussed the following day. In that regard, they've succeeded. But by not releasing ads that are a bit more racially-sensitive and respectful, they may end up losing quite a few customers in the African American community. What's even more disappointing about all this is that I wouldn't be surprised if the advertising agency that came up with the idea for this ad was run by an African American. By giving our racial stamp of approval to major corporations, we can end up with debacles like this one. I hope Pepsi Max didn't offend us intentionally.

Related: Should Sisters Be Concerned About the Super Bowl Pepsi Max Commercial with the Angry Black Woman?