Britain05 April, 20261 min read
Pepsi Pulls Out of Wireless Festival as UK PM Demands Kanye Ban
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Pepsi withdrew sponsorship of London's Wireless Festival after Kanye West was announced as three-night headliner. Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed deep concern over Kanye West headlining Wireless.
Pepsi Ends Sponsorship
Pepsi withdrew as the main sponsor of Wireless Festival just days after announcing Kanye West as the sole headliner. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was deeply concerning that West was booked despite his previous antisemitic remarks.
The timing of Pepsi's withdrawal left no doubt about the reason despite no explicit citation. The festival's website still touted Pepsi's involvement at the time of the announcement.
Starmer and Political Pressure
Starmer's intervention marked an extraordinary level of political involvement in a cultural event. The Campaign Against Antisemitism urged the prime minister to ban West from entering the country.
The Home Office had not yet received an application for West to enter the UK. West's European tour had already provoked cancellations and protests.
Festival and Artist Fallout
The Wireless Festival had been co-branded with Pepsi since 2015. Other partners included Budweiser, PayPal, and Beatbox.
The booking had drawn criticism from Jewish organizations and political figures. Pepsi's retreat was the highest-profile corporate divestment since Adidas ended its Yeezy partnership.