Kendall Jenner's 'most raw story' turned out to be a brand deal with Proactive — and people are not pleased
- Over the weekend, Kris Jenner plugged that her daughter Kendall Jenner would be sharing her "most raw story" on Twitter Sunday night.
- People speculated that it could be a number of things, as the model has been outspoken about her experience with mental health and living with anxiety in the past.
- The announcement turned out to be that Kendall is the new face of the acne treatment Proactiv.
- Kendall said she made the decision after people online called attention to her acne at the 2018 Golden Globes.
- People think the announcement is something of an overhyped letdown.
Kendall and Kris Jenner are being criticized for what some feel was a botched announcement on Twitter over the weekend.
On Saturday, Kris, momager to the Kardashian-Jenner empire, tweeted that Kendall would be sharing her "most raw story" on Twitter Sunday night.
"I'm so proud of my darling Kendall Jenner for being so brave and vulnerable," Kris wrote. "Seeing you share yourr most raw story in order to make a positive impact for so many people and help foster a positive dialogue is a testament to the incredible woman you've become."
I’m so proud of my darling @KendallJenner for being so brave and vulnerable. Seeing you share her most raw story in order to make a positive impact for so many people and help foster a positive dialogue is a testament to the incredible woman you’ve become. pic.twitter.com/rJUXdN2Wmq
— Kris Jenner (@KrisJenner) January 5, 2019
Make sure to watch @KendallJenner’s Twitter on Sunday night to find out what I’m talking about and be prepared to be moved. #bethechange #shareyourstory #changetheconversation #proudmom #finallyasolution #authenticity #mydaughterinspiresme #getready
— Kris Jenner (@KrisJenner) January 5, 2019
The social media post also included a video of Kendall vaguely discussing her experience.
"When I was 14, I couldn't reach as many people as I can now," she said. "Now that I'm 22 and I have this whole thing behind me I can speak to so many people and just be, like, I can help you, and it's OK. I experience it, I'm very normal and, like, I understand you. Like, I can connect with you. I'm gonna try and help."
Online, people started to speculate about what the big reveal might be about almost immediately.
What did she experienced exactly??
— skeviss ???? (@skevi_s) January 5, 2019
Me- “I couldn’t give less of a shit about the Kardashians”
— Thank u, next ????️???? (@ThlsisOurYear) January 6, 2019
Kendall- “I have an announcement”
Me- pic.twitter.com/2a1nXW7Q2n
Some thought it might have to do with Kendall's experiences with mental health and anxiety. In a February 2018 interview with Harper's Bazaar conducted by Cara Delevingne, Kendall discussed her experience with panic attacks and "debilitating anxiety." She's also discussed her experience with anxiety and symptom management on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."
Help with anxiety?
— Monika Jagiello (@JagielloMonika) January 5, 2019
Please tell me is not about acne ... mental health, yesssss! But acne ... no...
— thati castro (@thati_australia) January 6, 2019
If Kendall Jenner’s big speech is about her having acne and anxiety I’m setting Kris’ Birkin closet on fire
— iz (@vuIgaire) January 6, 2019
The cryptic language in Kris' tweet also made people wonder if Kendall, who is currently dating Philadelphia 76ers player Ben Simmons, might be coming out.
In a March 2018 interview with Vogue, Kendall addressed rumors about her sexuality. "I don't think I have a bisexual or gay bone in my body, but I don't know!" she said at the time. "Who knows?! I'm all down for experience — not against it whatsoever — but I've never been there before."
I swear if it’s her coming out I legit will never complain abt anything in my entire life anymore like we’ve been waiting for it for a while now
— . (@Homeboyfinnaget) January 6, 2019
she’s coming out
— alex (@alexjergi) January 6, 2019
so is Kendall Jenner coming out via video tonight or what
— five lines (@lilli5lines) January 6, 2019
Some guessed that this post was a brand deal — the Kardashians have a big reputation for sharing sponsored content.
1) will Pepsi be involved 2) how much money y’all making off this
— Marcus J Hunter (@M6JHUNtER6) January 5, 2019
If Kendall Jenner’s announcement is some new ProActiv campaign for acne or that she has anxiety and is announcing it on Twitter, I’m going to be annoyed..
— V I N C E N T (@half__virgin) January 6, 2019
And they were correct.
On Sunday, Kendall Jenner announced that she's the new face of Proactiv, the topical acne treatment
As promised, on Sunday night Kendall took to Twitter to reveal the big news: A sponsorship deal with Proactiv.
— Kendall (@KendallJenner) January 7, 2019
The model retweeted a Proactiv ad, adding a heart emoji.
In the video, the model spoke about her experience with acne. Specifically, Kendall said she made the decision to work with the brand after people online called attention to her acne at the 2018 Golden Globes.
"I remember going online and seeing all the horrible things people were saying about me and my skin. I felt so good that I completely forgot that I had bad skin. Then, I remember getting a couple of tweets that became a lot of tweets about how proud people were of me," she said. "I was like, 'Oh wait, this is actually kinda cool.' And it completely flipped my energy on it. But at the same time, I do want it gone.”
People found the announcement — which happened at the same time as the 2019 Golden Globes — to be something of an overhyped letdown.
On Twitter, people were disappointed that the announcement was nothing like they thought it would be.
kris kept talking about how "brave" kendall is and how proud she is of her for "opening up" and i thought it was gonna be something about her anxiety or sexuality but she's just.... getting paid to promote proactiv..
— َ (@undevonne) January 7, 2019
Kendall Jenner’s brave and vulnerable announcement was that she’s the face of proactiv LMFAOOOOOO I thought she was finally coming out the closet
— Sarah Marshall (@_sarahmarshall) January 7, 2019
so ur telling me i followed kendall jenner AND turned her notifications on for..........,,,...,,......., acne????
— christina ???? (@cabellgbtq) January 7, 2019
Kris Jenner calling Kendall getting pimples “her most raw story” says it all
— chels (@jaggerkiwi) January 7, 2019
Many thought there was no need for Kris' tweets.
ALL THIS FOR PROACTIV????
— Kens ✨ (@kensmarie94) January 7, 2019
— ShowerThoughts (@LadyShadyKatie) January 7, 2019
An announcement for a announcement
— chonidale (@ChoniEarp) January 6, 2019
Others found the tactics used to draw interest in this campaign were inauthentic.
it’s so fucking funny to me that kendall’s campaign made it seem like she was raising awareness for something serious like violence or cancer or something but it’s literally for ACNE..... something that is completely natural and literally everyone gets. i have to laugh
— ???????????????? (@KlSSYREM) January 7, 2019
love Kris Jenner (fight me) but the way she leveraged language often associated with people talking about sexual violence, mental health or trauma so Kendall can sell a spot cream is BANG out of order pic.twitter.com/SN4eSYmcWy
— Josh Willacy (@joshywillacy) January 7, 2019
OK, so you totally clickbaited, in a climate where if someone says they have been dealing with an issue since they were 14, we'd worry that something truly awful had happened. I'm glad it was just acne, but that was a lousy way to plug some spot cream.
— Monkleton (@purple_primate) January 7, 2019
A few people just had to laugh.
My thoughts on Kendall Jenner’s bravery: pic.twitter.com/0qf2BxvegJ
— Madame Piñeiro ???? (@carlospineiro95) January 7, 2019
LOOOOOOOOOOL so all that hype about Kendall Jenners big announcement was about her being the face of Proactiv cos she has acne ????????????????????????
— Mari (@mariyahgardee) January 7, 2019
Crying actual tears that Kendall Jenner's raw story and the announcement was that she's the face of a spot cream. The devil works hard but Kris Jenner works harder ????
— Georgia Coan (@georgia_coan) January 7, 2019
But amid the backlash, some came to the model's defense.
honestly kendall promoting proactiv is gonna change lives. she really be doing her best lately, so proud. she’s gonna be clearing everyone’s skin ugh her mind pic.twitter.com/bvgzdbCHO2
— ???????????????? (@remvices) January 7, 2019
wow.. you are so brave.. thank you for sharing your story ????
— JOAN OF ART (@umcornell) January 7, 2019
As they say, another day another Kardashian Kontroversy.
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