In 2024, Kylie Jenner launched yet another product. This time, the makeup mogul unveiled a vodka soda under the name Sprinter.
Well, Sprinter shared a promo earlier in January of 2025 … just days before the outbreak of devastating wildfires. Thousands upon thousands of people fled their homes. Thousands of structures were destroyed. People have died, and some people, businesses, and families will never recover.
Meanwhile, Kylie’s promo for Sprinter remains up. Which would be fine — life goes on, after all. Except for the contents of the ad.
The caption of Kylie Jenner’s vodka soda ad reads “Warming up for the weekend.”
Meanwhile, the image itself includes the placement of the actual product alongside a blazing log burner.
That’s a totally normal advertisement for winter. But after so many images and videos of the devastating inferno that has turned historic Los Angeles neighborhoods into ash, it’s not going over well. You can, after all, always just delete an ad that has poor timing.
Looking tiny on large furniture, Kylie Jenner laughs on an October 2023 episode of The Kardashians. (Image Credit: Hulu)
Here’s how people are reacting to Kylie Jenner’s unfortunate timing
First, an Instagram account that appears to be dedicated to disliking Kylie and Timothee Chalamet as a couple posted a screenshot of the ad to their Story.
“Oh my f–king God,” the caption over the photo declared. “And the award for ‘Bad Taste & Timing’ goes to….”
Then, a screenshot of that Story post made its way to Reddit, where even more people commented upon the timing of it all.
“I mean girl take this down. Tone deaf at best,” commented one Reddit denizen.
One critic hoped in vain that this will somehow spell the end of the entire family’s influence, writing: “I hope this is it for them!!! Let this California tragedy be the end of the Karjenners.”
Another accused Kylie of “Trying to be edgy and cool and is just tone deaf and dumb.” (Just a reminder that the ad went up before the blaze)
During a July 2023 episode of The Kardashians, Kylie Jenner speaks to the confessional camera while wearing a halter. (Image Credit: Hulu)
Not everyone is feeling outraged
A vodka soda advertisement is arguably the least awful thing on people’s minds right now. Especially since the offense was unintentional.
As some commenters have pointed out, fire exists. Films, TV shows, books, video games, and advertisements will all contain fire in some form. It isn’t necessarily insensitive.
Obviously, anyone who’s watched their home burn down has every right to feel sensitive about combustion in its many forms. But anger at Kylie for this very specific thing is a little hard to justify. Most of it probably comes from people who dislike Kylie to begin with.
