Kendall Jenner under fire for cultural appropriation in Tequila 818 ad, Twitter slams her as “tone-deaf”

Kendall Jenner is in the face of another controversy over her liquor brand 818 Tequila, a promotional campaign conducted for its debut in the US.

The supermodel is being accused of cultural appropriation and being tone deaf for donning traditional Mexican garb for 818 Tequila advertisements. A series of photos and a video promoting the distilled product also showed Kendal working in the field along with agave farmers.

The use of native workers for the liquor brand's promotional campaign has been called out as inconsiderate by many critics.

Some claimed that Kendall Jenner's actions perpetuate stereotyping Mexican culture by wearing it as a costume for a photoshoot commercial.

Critics call for a boycott of Kendall Jenner's 818 Tequila

One particular thread detailed claims that Kendall's tequila brand would hurt small businesses in Jalisco, Mexico, where distilled products are produced.

Many families, specially in Jalisco, Mexico, produce tequila for Mexican brands or even they have their own small businesses of tequila. Kendall Jenner coming to Jalisco and starting her tequila is making that many families to lose their job to big names like her.

— rex is zayn’s bestie ! 🇲🇽🇵🇸 (@talkfastloueh) May 19, 2021

Critics online are already calling for the liquor brand's boycott and claims that Kendall Jenner is promoting Mexican culture for her own gains. Readers can check out some of the reactions below.

I am literally begging latinx tequila drinkers to NOT buy the Kendall Jenner tequila. Please instead consider buying La Gritona. Melly Barajas Cardenas is one of the few female Master Tequila distillers, whose staff is mostly women!!!!! pic.twitter.com/e7BcRPzTeK

— Litly🔥 (@lilytrejo16) May 19, 2021

All this money and Kendall Jenner can’t afford hearing aids for her Tone Deaf ad.

— Barb Rodriguez (@b221rodriguez) May 20, 2021

one thing about kendall is put a drink in her hand and she’ll give you an insulting ad campaign https://t.co/8RQlZhdsif

— haley o'shaughnessy (@HaleyOSomething) May 19, 2021

Kendall Jenner appropriating another culture pic.twitter.com/7UCnQaes3O

— Liam🎯 (@youjahtmail) May 19, 2021

Nothing says Mexican culture like kendall Jenner https://t.co/rck5kM98r7

— kyle (@knicks_tape99) May 19, 2021

whoever does kendall jenner’s marketing really hates her or kris was in the mood for pepsi 2.0 media attention pic.twitter.com/KNfGXZx626

— UFO (@pseudeauriche) May 19, 2021

Someone said Kendall Jenner is out her playing la Gaviota and I - pic.twitter.com/OtTAIzQG8V

— Nat ☆ (@nxthaly__) May 20, 2021

The way Kendall Jenner always misses the mark. pic.twitter.com/E9Uge37ptR

— markie (@marcusthough) May 20, 2021

kendall jenner can go to hell with this blatant explotation of the stereotypes of indigenous women from mexico pic.twitter.com/JkKvg4k8EH

— Soraya Montenegro (@mottisjandra) May 20, 2021

Me as a Mexican, im begging yall that live in the US to DO not consume Kendall Jenner’s tequila because what she’s doing is called Cultural Appropriation making it hers. Listen to us Mexicans when we tell you that this is wrong. Is our culture and we don’t want a white woman+

— rex is zayn’s bestie ! 🇲🇽🇵🇸 (@talkfastloueh) May 19, 2021

Obviously Kendall’s tequila brand is trash and she is a tone deaf coloniser BUT where was this hate for Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, Dwayne Johnson, Adam Levine ? (All tequila/mezcal) keep that energy for men too let’s not just slam a Jenner cause it’s easy (it’s so easy tho)

— hermi1 (@abortmychrist) May 20, 2021

Instead of buying Kendall Jenner’s 818 tequila, buy La Gritona tequila! It’s managed and owned by a woman and it’s actually Mexican

— Kim♥ (@kimmcampos_) May 20, 2021

Kendall Jenner trying her hardest to pass of as Mexican to sell her gentrified tequila... 😑😑😑 pic.twitter.com/qACcHBSbzu

— Roy Rogers McFreely (@LouiseBaton) May 19, 2021

Backlash around 818 Tequila began on February 16, 2021 when Kendall Jenner first announced the launch of her brand. However, some have defended Jenner stating that other celebs such as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, George Clooney, LeBron James, Rande Gerber and Kevin Hart have also launched their own tequila brands and haven't been hit with criticism.

This isn't the first time the "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star has faced backlash for cultural approporation.

Kendall Jenner deactivates comments on social media

In 2017, an ad by Pepsi titled "Jump In" showed Kendall participating in a protest with activists. But instead of protesting, Jenner offered a Pepsi can to a police officer as a peace offering while the protesters cheered on.

The advertisement was immediately pulled after being accused of trivializing the Black Lives Matter movement.

Kendall Jenner is yet to respond to the criticism but following the backlash, the supermodel has deactivated comments on her Instagram posts.

According to TMZ, a source told the outlet that the ad campaigns were created with a focus on highlighting the farmers who are working to produce the product.

Kendall is also reportedly "passionate" about 818 Tequlia and is researching with farmers to put out the best product.

It remains to be seen if Kendall's new venture could attract further bad press from its commercials.