Way back around the turning of the millennium, there was a huge war raging between two behemoth beverages – Coca-Cola and Pepsi. While the war continues to blub away with people insisting they taste differently and storming out of restaurants when the waiter brings the wrong one (I can't taste the difference, tbqh), it's definitely less heated than it was back then. In fact, the war kind of petered out as it became clearer that Coca-Cola had the monopoly of the market, and as people became less interested in sugary soda beverages in general. Pepsi continues to try and bring its edge back, but especially with the monumental flop the whole Kendall Jenner advert was, it looks to be a struggle. And anyway, Pepsi will never be able to create a celebrity endorsement as good as their glory days when working with Britney Spears. It was the early noughties, and Britney's jingles about the drink were the best. They were hugely successful, mainly because the tunes were so catchy. The first one was a Superbowl ad from 2001, and it mixed the old Pepsi jingle with Britney's fierce pop style. [[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRu9HO_tIpw]] After seeing how popular this one was, Pepsi made another commercial featuring regular people watching the original ad. It was more humorous, showing how people – even 1996 Republican presitential candidate Bob Dole – became stuck, hypnotised and fixated on Britney and her moves. [[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fugLhNbwoY]] What better way to sell sugar-loaded, carbonated drinks to teenagers than have a highly-popular pop star snap her hips and whip her hair about, before taking a big sip of Pepsi. The ads became really popular ("all the kids in the street are talking about it!") mainly due to the fact that Britney was at the peak of her career, just after her second album was released. After the first two ads came Now and Then, a sweet little video of Britney flying through the decades, reinterpreting Pepsi commercials and slogans in song while taking on the different styles of 60s, 70s and 80s. [[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4giyL-4Sk]] Finally, there was this masterpiece: the trifecta of queens – Beyoncé, P!ink and Britney – performing Queen in a colosseum. [[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7jkygJ_QNo]] The ads were cute, very watchable and undeniably catchy. But the people wanted more, and were hoping for longer versions of the songs that hadn't been cut short to fit the commercials. And now, more than 15 years later, the people's wishes have been answered. The original, full-length versions of the first commercial, as well as the Now and Then spot, have finally been released. For the first time ever, we're able to listen to the songs in their entirety. The whole. Damn. Thing.

Here's the original Joy of Pepsi song:

[[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcDid_pHgOk]]

And Now and Then:

[[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_lSjaXpbyM]] Oh man, someone bring me a pair of low-rise flared jeans and take me back to the noughties. The Pepsi commercials were a brilliant example of advertising back then. Compared to all the other boring corporate advertising at the time, these ads were really cool, especially compared to rival Coca-Cola who always went for a more sentimental and nostalgic kind of messaging. Pepsi one-upped them by targeting a new, young and hip market and by working with the pop princess, and honestly – I think they've done it again. This trip back in time has me feeling all emotional and suddenly very thirsty for a Pepsi. Damn you, advertising.

Madonna's no stranger to making waves, so much so that one of her infamous adverts has only just been shown, 34 years after she filmed it.

The pop superstar, now 65, filmed the infamous Pepsi advert all the way back in 1989, featuring her song 'Like A Prayer' in the clip.

Pepsi signed a $5 million deal with the star for the commercial, however, it was pulled shortly after its release following outrage from Christians over Madonna's music video for the song.

Christian organizations including the Vatican condemned the music video - which was released a day after the ad debuted - for showing Catholic symbols such as stigmata, alongside burning crosses and Madonna kissing a black saint.

See the banned commercial below: 

The controversy surrounding Madonna and the song led Pepsi to pull the commercial shortly afterward, and it was never to see the light of day again... until now.

To mark Pepsi's 125th anniversary, the ad was shown again at the MTV VMAs on Tuesday night, much to fans' delight.

Madonna also took to Instagram to share the clip, adding: "34 years ago I made a commercial with Pepsi to celebrate the release of my song Like a Prayer.

"The commercial was immediately canceled when I refused to change any scenes in the video where I was kissing a black saint or burning crosses.

"So began my illustrious career as an artist refusing to compromise my artistic integrity."

She concluded her post by adding: "Thank you @pepsi for finally realizing the genius of our collaboration. Artists are here to disturb the peace."

The ad, titled 'Make a wish', had first aired at the 31st annual Grammy Awards in February 1989, showing her enjoying a can of Pepsi while reminiscing on her childhood memories.

The $5 million deal would mean the commercial launched the song globally before its official release, and Pepsi was also set to sponsor Madonna's next world tour as part of the agreement.

Despite being viewed by millions on its release, the advert was soon pulled after the 'Like A Prayer' music video dropped, following uproar over the use of religious imagery.

The backlash was so intense that even Pope John Paul II condemned the singer at the time for using symbols that are important to the church alongside sexual visuals.

Madonna has always refused to bow to criticism. Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for MTV/ViacomCBS

Despite the furor, Madonna stood firm alongside her vision for the song, and has remained unapologetic over her art ever since.

She is currently set to take on her 40th anniversary Celebration tour, which was postponed after she was hospitalized earlier in the year.

Rehearsals are said to have resumed two weeks ago, with sources claiming that she was taking it "at a slower pace" this time around.

Featured image credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Earlier this year, Pepsi's marketing team took something of a hit to its reputation. Over the years, the soft drinks company have utilized the world's best soccer players to help to peddle their carbonated, corn syrup-flavoured drink, but a few months ago, Pepsi used a celebrity of an entirely different kind in an attempt to boost sales. As you might know, Kendall Jenner's appearance in that Pepsi ad did not exactly go to plan. Back in April, the 21-year-old was roundly criticised for appearing to appropriate images from the Black Lives Movement in the commercial, implying that the spectre of police brutality could be quite easily dispelled by Pepsi. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/BerniceKing/status/849656699464056832]] Now, almost six months on from the incident, Kendall Jenner has finally opened up about the incident, and while some people had a field day online mocking the advert, Jenner seems pretty far from being able to laugh off the matter. Last weekend saw the premiere of the 14th season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and 10 years on from that show's delicious debut, we've got plenty to unpack as America's most famous family prepare their latest slew of problems. Pretty high up on that list is Kendall Jenner's emotional recovery from her Pepsi ad, which her sister Khloé Kardashian has admitted has hit Kendall pretty hard. "Kendall did a commercial and basically caused a huge controversy. It sucks, because she’s been taking the blame for it all. Kendall tries really hard to be socially conscious and aware of the jobs that she takes … so it weighs really heavy on her heart. Her intent is never to disrespect or offend anybody." That weight on Kendall's heart was clear for all to see, as she broke down on Keeping Up With the Kardashians, saying she regrets even taking on the advert at all, and hinting as well as at why she refrained from apologising for the incident. "I trusted everyone. I trusted the teams. But after I saw the reaction and I read what people had to say about it, I most definitely saw what went wrong. I was so stuck, and I really didn’t know what to do, that I completely shut down."  Later on, Kendall talked to Kim Kardashian about her deep regret. "I just feel really, really bad. Like, I feel really bad that anyone was ever offended. I feel really bad that this was taken such a wrong way. I genuinely feel like s***, and I have no idea how I’m gonna bounce back from it". Luckily, Kim came to the fore as the big sister, giving Kendall a pep talk and reminding us all that Kendall's got a lot to learn as she grows up in the public spotlight. "This is the first time you’ve had a scandal. This is your first real experience with something like this. You’re the last person to want to hurt someone or be insensitive, but it’s, like, it really sucks. I think the only thing you can really do is just be real and honest, because you can’t ignore it. Like, you can’t. It should affect you in a way where you grow from it, and you’re like, 'Okay, I’m a better person from it' … I just wish that you could see that there’s light at the end of the tunnel." In light of the outrage around Kendall Jenner's controversial Pepsi ad, I think it's important to remember that Kendall Jenner is still only 21 years old, and that everyone can make mistakes in life. Perhaps she might have helped herself by apologising, but let's hope she learns her lesson from this entire unsavoury incident, and takes more care with how she uses her star power in the future.

Remember when Pepsi ran quite possibly the worst commercial to have ever existed in the history of the universe? Remember that? That ridiculous advert which saw Kendall Jenner stop a potentially violent confrontation between protesters and police by handing them a can of Pepsi? Well, while the majority of the world's population thought that it was completely ludicrous, it obviously caused quite a stir over a Coca-Cola, who also decided to try and produce a similarly absurd advert. The new Coca-Cola advert has sparked controversy online after it appears to exploit women's rights in Saudi Arabia for commercial gain. Basically, the premise of the advert is that women can drive if they have a drink of Coke. The "Change Has A Taste" campaign was designed to celebrate Saudi Arabia's recent order which has finally allowed women to drive after decades of banning them from doing so. While some people have praised the drinks company for celebrating the end of this archaic ban, the majority of social media users have accused Coca-Cola of exploiting the historic ruling in order to create some profit. The advert follows a father and daughter duo as they go through the experiences of her first driving lesson. As expected, the girl initially struggles to drive, with her stalling the car and knocking over the bottle of coke that her father had opened for her. But, once she has a sip of the good stuff, she suddenly manages to drive smoothly and with a big grin on her face. Basically, if you're worrying about your driving test, have a bottle of Coke beforehand and you should be fine. Taking to Twitter to share their views on the advertising campaign, one user wrote: "Apparently @CocaCola thinks the answer to the systemic oppression of women in Islamic countries is an ice cold Coke," while someone else sarcastically said: "Wait, what? Women are allowed to drink Coca-Cola? #progressive" [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Boutaina/status/926831797559746562]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/LauraLoomer/status/928115721502117889]] Another user added: "It's not Christmas until you see the Coca-Cola advert, it's not women's rights until they've been tokenised for monetary or political gain." [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Osha001/status/926891657307488256]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/abusulayman/status/926605155285569536]] Despite the negative response to the advert, with many people likening it to the infamous Pepsi x Kendall Jenner advert, Coca-Cola has claimed that the commercial was created as part of its "commitment to enable the economic empowerment of women". However, not all people thought that the advert was ludicrous. One social media user said: "But it's a celebration of positive social and cultural change." They weren't alone in their opinion, with another user agreeing with them, adding: "The commercial is about Saudi women getting the right to drive! It was about removal of oppression." While it seems like Coke were genuinely trying to spread a message of positivity, they got it pretty wrong in this case and the advert is cringe-worthy more than anything. They should just stick to their Christmas advert. After all, it's not Christmas until you see that Coca-Cola lorry, right?

Fans can't stop talking about Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer after their latest commercial that debuted at the Super Bowl.

On February 11, we were treated to some great action between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Fransisco 49ers as the two teams went head-to-head at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

The Chiefs came out victorious thanks to some great play during overtime making the score 25-22, allowing them to continue their streak as Super Bowl Champions.

While most of the attention was on the football, other stand-out moments included Usher's incredible half-time performance, Taylor Swift and her all-star girl gang having fun up in the stands, and of course, the array of commercials that played throughout the event.

Have a look at the Full Uber Eats ad below:

From Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's promotion for Dunkin' to the official teaser trailer for Wicked: Part One starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, we were treated to some big-budget surprises amid the football action.

But there's one ad that got everyone talking, and it's because of one iconic celebrity couple.

In collaboration with Uber Eats, Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer starred in the business' commercial as friends who had forgotten each other - well, Aniston had forgotten. The message of the ad was to remind viewers that it's important to remember all the wonderful treats you can order on Uber Eats... even if that means forgetting an old friend.

Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer during Peoples Choice 2001. Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc/Getty

Upon seeing the pair reunite on screen, fans took to social media in their numbers to express their love for their OTP.

"That’s it, we need them in a romcom ASAP! It’s so good to see them reunited on screen again! They were perfect as Ross and Rachel and they still have a lot to give to an audience, in my opinion," wrote one user on YouTube while another added: "Omgg thank u uber eats, lobsters" - a reference to their characters in Friends being each other's "lobsters".

Over on X people were also just as excited, with this user writing: "Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer reuniting for a Superbowl ad?! Actually screamed."

"#UberEats ad excellent! Definitely in the running for best ad. Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer. #SuperBowl," another added.

Speaking of the pair, a source told In Touch that the former Friends co-stars were equally happy to see each other.

"Jen and David had a blast doing the commercial," the source told the outlet. "Jen usually gets stressed out in those kinds of situations but having David there really relaxed her. He cracks her up. The crew could sense major chemistry between them."

The superstar duo worked together on the hit NBC sitcom from 1994 to 2004, playing beloved on/off-again couple Ross Geller and Rachel Green. But fans were shocked to find out that their on-screen chemistry at the time was so palpable because they were actually in love with each other, as revealed during the Friends reunion.

Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer revealed that they had a crush on each other. Credit: David Hume Kennerly/Getty

"The first season, I had a major crush on Jen," Schwimmer said. "At some point, we were both crushing hard on each other — but it was like two ships passing [in the night] because one of us was always in a relationship."

Aniston also recalled her feelings stating: "Sure enough, the first time we kissed was in that coffee shop. So we just channeled all of our adoration and love for each other into Ross and Rachel."

But the insider revealed that things may have developed since then.

"The feelings Jen and David have for each other go beyond friendship," they said. "They’re taking things slow and keeping things quiet for now. Only a few close friends know and they want to keep it that way for a while."

We'll just have to wait and see what - if anything - happens next.

Featured Image Credit: J. Vespa/WireImage/Getty