70 replies to this topic

[Silverslug]

Ad critic: Sony's racially charged PSP ad [update 1]

Posted Jul 4th 2006 6:30PM by Christopher Grant
Filed under: Sony PSP, Culture

We've decided to run ad critic early this week after this one landed on our doorsteps. The latest in a long line of questionable marketing decisions by Sony, this ad -- gracing the streets of Amsterdam and the Dutch PSP site -- promotes the upcoming white PSP with the racially charged image of a white woman grabbing a black woman's face. Other images on the website (embedded after the break) offer additional avenues of interpretation.

While we think it's hardly debatable that the ad is offensive (debate ensues), why would Sony -- and their "disruptive" advertising partners at TBWA -- think this ad appropriate? Any Dutch readers care to offer a regional point-of-view on local racial mores? Any black readers, both in the Netherlands and elsewhere, want to offer your initial reactions to the image? Perhaps most importantly (this is an advertisement after all), will this fulfill the contention that generating word-of-mouth is the metric by which to gauge the success of an ad, no matter the method?

Please keep the debate friendly, respectful, and well-mannered. It is possible to express your opinion on sensitive issues like race while doing so.

[Update 1: Sony has come to the defense of the controversial ads, telling Gamesindustry.biz, "All of the 100 or so images created for the campaign have been designed to show this contrast in colours of the PSPs , and have no other message or purpose." We'll gather up some of the best comments from this thread (thanks for keeping it on track everyone) and follow up later in the week.]

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/04/ad-criti...charged-psp-ad/

[g3ftw]

Oooh no, they're not allowed to show people of different races and draw attention to the fact that human beings have different coloured skin... that's sooooo racist.

/sarcasm off.

How is that ad racist???

[Kadjel]

Oooh no, they're not allowed to show people of different races and draw attention to the fact that human beings have different coloured skin... that's sooooo racist.

/sarcasm off.

How is that ad racist???

Because it's the white woman with her hand holding the black woman's face, that's how . Honestly, why do people have to play the race card every chance they get? It's getting annoying.

[TubularLuggage]

Though I don't personally find it offensive, I can certainly see how some people would.
How the fuck did Sony think this ad was a good idea?

[Kadjel]

How the fuck did Sony think this ad was a good idea?

Probably had something to do with Ridge Racer

[ClimHazzard]

I definitly can see how people can see this as racisim, but im not that offended by it..

[CrispyDuck411]

I lol'd when I saw it. So Sony is saying... WHT PEPLE R BETR LLOL

[g3ftw]

How is it saying white people are better?

[Garamiah]

you see how the black woman is being made 'inferior' by the position and stance of the white woman. by garbbing her face she is holding bak the black woman, restricting her. it is very racist imo

[Silverslug]

lol look at her hair, its all 80's.

[g3ftw]

You must be racist if you see it like that.

Only kidding, pls don't take offence.

I know this is potentially a controversial issue but it seems to me they're just kind of playing with race as a marketing tool. I mean surely no-one thinks Sony are saying white things/people are better than black.

I think it's just as valid to say its racist against white people because they've given the white lady such a wack 80s hairstyle.

[SolidSnake27]

first time i seen it thought it wasnt tht racist, but im not black so i dont feel it is.

Others mite becoz of the position of the white woman over the black woman, but sony wtf u thinkin of!!

[Smokey]

ROFLMAO @ ad


ahahahahahahahahah FUCKING PWNED seriously im not racist, but gg rofl

[hackerwacker]

they should have made the balck woman chained to a bedpost naked, and had the white chick standing over her with a leather whip.

that would have been so sweet.

[Dark Exodus]

This wasn't a good idea, but whatever.

you see how the black woman is being made 'inferior' by the position and stance of the white woman. by garbbing her face she is holding bak the black woman, restricting her. it is very racist imo

Try looking at the actual article:

[Daisai]

pfft.. WAAH~! i dont see teh racism

[ColonelHogan]

Now Sony is going to have to come out with a black PSP to appease the black community...

[(__Tanel__)]

haha psp was always black! rofl gg.

[TheBlackOut]

If it was racist, why would the black woman model for the company? And why would Sony even hire her to model if they didn't like black people?

[Garamiah]

This wasn't a good idea, but whatever.
Try looking at the actual article:

see, that would also be considered racist against blacks, because it is showing blacks as a violent race. race is too touchy to even consider using for advertisment, unless you want to create some controversy, which is just wat sony wanted