- Brian Morrissey

NEW YORK After enduring a week of criticism that an iPhone application for its AMP Energy brand is sexist, Pepsi is pulling the plug on the effort.
 
"We have decided to discontinue the AMP iPhone application," a Pepsi representative said in a statement. "We've listened to a variety of audiences and determined this was the most appropriate course of action."
 
The "Amp Up Before You Score" iPhone application gave dudes a variety of pickup lines and background info through digital flip cards for 24 different types of women, ranging from "rebound girl" to "treehugger." It included a "brag list," told users to keep "a name, date and whatever details you remember" and encouraged guys to "flaunt it" by broadcasting their scores via Twitter and Facebook updates.
 
The R/GA-created application met with stiff criticism in blogs and on Twitter early last week, which quickly spilled over into news stories on National Public Radio, CNN and Fox News.

The notoriety made "Amp Up" one of the most popular free apps available for the iPhone.
 
Pepsi responded to the criticism with a Tweeted apology on Oct. 12, explaining that the app was designed to "show the humorous lengths guys go 2 pick up women."

The post included the #pepsifail hash tag Twitterers were using to discuss the controversy. Pepsi was subsequently faulted for attaching the app to its brand rather than AMP's.

See also: "Amp App Fails to Score"