Perhaps only one woman could have made Pepsi chic (as Madonna merely made it incendiary)–and that woman was one, Cindy Crawford. In 1992, just three years after the “Like A Prayer” controversy that made Pepsi a non-favorite with Middle Americans, it seemed that the soda company would never be able to strike the perfect balance between appealing to both the lower and upper classes.
To make it even more palatable to the masses, the iconic commercial premiered during the Super Bowl. Enter Crawford in a deserted wasteland of heat and desolation–save for a lone vending machine where she’s able to adequately quench her thirst with, what else, an ice cold Pepsi (in fact, you want one right now, don’t you?).
Wearing nothing but cutoff shorts and a white tank top, Crawford never looked so anti-haute couture; this aesthetic worked seamlessly on affluent and middle class consumers alike, all of whom were riveted by the way such a simple ensemble could look so alluring (though the affluent population was also probably placated by the presence of a Ferrari).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnFEU2Dd1nI
By the end of the commercial, you can’t decide if you want a bottle of Pepsi or a vat of it–proving that Crawford is not only a gifted model, but a gifted saleswoman–she was even able to shill Diet Pepsi for fuck’s sake. Later spokespeople for the brand wouldn’t be able to bring nearly half as much aplomb to the beverage (see: Britney Spears).
