Controversial SONY PSP ad:

[JEM]

Yes, but nowadays, we are able to see women in the workfield, even voting, things that weren't allowed not very long ago. And today, women voting is accepted, differences stil exist in the workfield, but they are getting smaller and smaller, and we have very strong and powerful women in high positions. These things just wouldn't have existed years ago.

Anyways, I think I have tried to make my point come accross, this is only my opinion, but I think we can all agree that something has to be done to change the situation.

 

[Urban Stylin]

well its not gonna be playin anywhere near the US and UK! Its only going to be kept in Holland and Sony insists that its not a racist ad. I posted a link on my blog that shows the other versions of the ad will try and look for it

 

[Urban Stylin]

This is turning into a racism discussion thread but anyway here are my last words regarding this topic. If you guys continue and view it as discrimination, arn't you guys being racist as well for acknowledging that one character is a minority group and not giving it a chance to be viewed simply as two equal people representing the playstations?

ubfortunately the ad doesnt portray these people as equal

 

[iluvjeisa]

^ They can't really make another ad like this for the black one as the PSP initally only came in black. Now they're adding a white version hence the ad. I heard its marketed for Europe? I doubt a random European would notice the "racial undertones" to be honest. A lot of peopple have been wanting a white version (maybe because of the iPod stuff) so I can understand why they would make such an ad. If it were to be put up in America though it'd be a different story.

Obviously. That wasn't the point. This is part of a planned marketing strategy, and they could have chosen to launch both black and white, and while the white version would have been the big thing, being a new "color" for Sony and all, the black would still be present and shown as "superior" in its own right. It is quite simple to envision another slogan for a black new version as well, which could complement the white one. They could have done that to undermine the strange vibes of the ad, it would have helped, it really would...

The Europeans will notice the racial undertones, believe me. In Sweden they could probably be charged for a campaign like this.

 

[amphrosyne]

Obviously. That wasn't the point. This is part of a planned marketing strategy, and they could have chosen to launch both black and white, and while the white version would have been the big thing, being a new "color" for Sony and all, the black would still be present and shown as "superior" in its own right. It is quite simple to envision another slogan for a black new version as well, which could complement the white one. They could have done that to undermine the strange vibes of the ad, it would have helped, it really would...

The Europeans will notice the racial undertones, believe me. In Sweden they could probably be charged for a campaign like this.

Yeah its a pretty weird ad...

I'm from Sweden and I actually didn't notice anything until someone pointed it out..maybe I'm just dim

 

[sofialuv]

I agree with Urban Styling in the sense that it´s their expressions that make the add seem a bit too much.
I also agree that if you are not a racist or see racism as an issue in this add, you won´t make a racist reading of the image.

If you just see the persons in the add as "2 playstations" (which obviously they´re not) you can´t see that much controversy, although personally, since it was pointed out, i can´t seem to see it as innocently as if it wasn´t pointed out to me.

 

[iluvjeisa]

Yeah its a pretty weird ad...

I'm from Sweden and I actually didn't notice anything until someone pointed it out..maybe I'm just dim

Really? Have you spent a lot of time in Sweden the last 10 years then? Because there's a lot of censoring of insensitive ads here.

 

[KhaoticKharma]

A lot of controversy could have been avoided if they had just used to people of the same race. Asians perhaps!

 

[Faith Akiyama]

Well, I guess the bottomline is: Sony got the controversial reactions they wanted, which in turn generates more publicity (Even if it's negative) for the product. Horrid method, IMO, but good strategy...

 

[amphrosyne]

Really? Have you spent a lot of time in Sweden the last 10 years then? Because there's a lot of censoring of insensitive ads here.

you know whats funny? I left Sweden just about a decade ago so maybe I dont have a good grasp on the their attitudes there ..I dont think its fair to say that a governments stupid decisions are the accurate representation of the masses. Do you think most Swedes actually want those Ljungan CK ads removed?

 

[iluvjeisa]

you know whats funny? I left Sweden just about a decade ago so maybe I dont have a good grasp on the their attitudes there ..I dont think its fair to say that a governments stupid decisions are the accurate representation of the masses. Do you think most Swedes actually want those Ljungan CK ads removed?

What a coincidence Well, I think their decisions reflect that there is at least an important minority who takes offense. Plus, some evening papers bring up these issues and talk about them at length, which they wouldn't do unless someone was interested....Ah, certainly, the majority of people frequenting Stureplan wouldn't mind his gorgeousness plastered all over the place. But as for the majority...I don't know.

 

[Fabulyss]

Wow! I usually think political correctness is a load of crap but this is beyond...this is awful, what were they thinking?!

 

[Fabulyss]

A lot of controversy could have been avoided if they had just used to people of the same race. Asians perhaps!

I totally agree!

 

[Diorling]

Im still trying to gather my thoughts regarding this advert. I dont think it was intentionally meant to be racist, because let's be honest, even if Sony was racist don't you think they're smart enough not to let anyone on? I just think it was an attempt by a rouge advertising exec to be edgy and push boundaries, boundaries which aren't ready to be pushed. I personally don't see anything WRONG with it, I, like Jem, originally saw it as two people.

Well, I, for one, appreciate the styling. It's superbly styled, very cool looking.

 

[Hipkitten]

Here are the other ads from the "White is Coming" campaign:

joystiq.com

 

[Faith Akiyama]

^Ah, so there is context! Perhaps they should've included all the images somehow in one image...then again, it probably would've lost its element of controversy.

 

[bun-bun]

^ So Sony's now joined Guess, Gucci and countless other lines of advertisers in the "faux lesbian" scenarious we've all come to love and adore.

Honestly, I dispise its unoriginality more than anything else.

 

[nat_attak]

i dont feel that the ad is controversial. i personally dont take it as something offensive. it's just the contrast of the ad. white psp and black ones. i think people are just blowing it out of proportion. =/

 

[yourbestfriend]

well, now that there is a second ad. I guess cased closed?

 

[SophieKawaii]

i dont feel that the ad is controversial. i personally dont take it as something offensive. it's just the contrast of the ad. white psp and black ones. i think people are just blowing it out of proportion. =/

I agree.

It's so boring that people always come up with "oooh this is racist!!" or "ohh watch out, somebody might think this is racist!!".
Only their brain is on racist mode and not the advertisements. We should turn a page finally..