Beyonce is Urged By a Health Advocacy Group to Back Off Her $50 Million Pepsi Deal

Last week, news spread when Pepsi said it was renewing its collaboration with Beyonce, which first began in 2002. The singer made a $50-million endorsement deal with PepsiCo.

“Pepsi embraces creativity and understands that artists evolve,” Beyonce has said in a statement. “As a businesswoman, this allows me to work with a lifestyle brand with no compromise and without sacrificing my creativity.”

But, now she's receiving some negative reactions on her new deal from a health advocacy group.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest wrote a letter to Beyonce, stating their disappointment and listing health problems that are linked to sugary drinks, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and tooth decay. The organization is urging Beyonce to consider the example she’s setting.

The letter starts off saying, "I read with disappointment the news of your $50 million endorsement deal with PepsiCo..."

“Your image is one of success, health, talent, fitness and glamour,” the health group wrote in its letter.

“But by lending your name and image to PepsiCo, you are associating those positive attributes with a product that is quite literally sickening Americans.”

Read the entire letter addresed to Beyonce HERE.

The star is set to have her face appear on certain Pepsi cans. She is also expected to shoot a new Pepsi commercial for next year and to perform in the Pepsi Halftime Show during the Super Bowl on Feb. 3.

If the partnership goes through, the health group said Beyonce should consider donating her take to hospitals, diabetes organizations or other groups.

The appeal came days after reports that PepsiCo added another artificial sweetener to its Diet Pepsi brand in an attempt to boost the longevity of the taste. The ingredient, acesulfame potassium, joins the existing sweetener aspartame.

(Source: www.latimes.com)