Pepsi Middle East/Africa Has Subtle 9/11 Image

Pepsi to 'change' can design some say depicts 9/11

"WASHINGTON -- A photograph apparently taken by an American servicemember of a Pepsi can before departing Iraq has spurred a heated debate online for what some say is a "slap in the face" from the sodamaker's Middle East/Africa division.

As U.S. troops left Iraq, U.S. soldier Rolando Martinez reportedly took the photo at right of a Pepsi can he found. Many online, including users who posted to the PepsiCo Facebook page, believe the rendering of a skyline combined with an airplane overhead depict the Twin Towers in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.

In the wake of the uproar, PepsiCo posted the following message to its Facebook wall:

"We understand that the design of the can be misinterpreted, which was never our intention. The design is one of two Diet Pepsi cans designed for our Middle East/Africa region, which was created by a South African design agency to display the growth of active cities in that region.

"Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us- we appreciate it. We have taken action to change the design of the can."

Yes Pepsi, the oblique reference to 9/11 that's sold to US servicepeople in that region is purely coincidental.