The question was….
“What artist once lost out on a big endorsement deal with a cola company because they didn’t like the music video for a song that was featured in one of their commercials?”
The answer is…
“Madonna”
Pepsi signed her to a $5 million endorsement deal, which included a two-minute commercial that would debut her song “Like A Prayer”.
The spot, overseen by Pepsi’s ad agency, showed Madonna watching an 8-year-old version of herself and doing some upbeat street dancing.
The official music music video wasn’t an extension of the commercial though.
Instead, Madonna witness a brutal crime, takes refuge in a church, gets stigmata on her hands and dances in front of burning crosses.
Religious groups were outraged, with the American Family Association and The Vatican condemning the video.
Pepsi, facing a boycott, dropped Madonna. She got to keep the money, but two additional commercials that were planned were scrapped and so was a sponsorship of her “Blonde Ambition” tour.
