SONY + Bad Ad
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- Jaline0
"Disruption is the art of asking better questions, challenging conventional wisdom and overturning assumptions and prejudices that get in the way of imagining new possibilities and visionary ideas."
- Jaline0
hehe, one replier:
"The [Nintendo] ds lite is the white chick. The PSP is the black chick. The psp is bout to get its @$$ whipped!!!!!!"
- Mimio0
Sony Computer Entertainment has dismissed claims that its latest PSP advertising campaign has racist connotations.
The TBWA-created ad, which features a white woman grabbing a black woman’s face with the strapline “PlayStation Portable. White is coming”, came under fire from certain quarters of the gaming community who claimed it was racist.
Sony has hit back saying that the marketing campaign for the launch of the white PSP focuses on the contrast between the black PSP model and the new ceramic white version.
Banner AdThe controversial image has appeared on billboards in Holland, but not in the US or UK, where racial tensions are higher. Sony has categorically said it will not be running the creative in the UK.
Earlier this year a £3 million UK billboard campaign for the handheld console sparked a number of complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that claimed the ads were offensive and irresponsible.
Posters featuring the straplines “Your girlfriend’s white bits here”, “Saucy emails won’t get you fired here” and “Take a running jump here”, came in for criticism for referring to sex and bad language because they were posted where children might see them. The ASA dismissed the complaints.
- Crouwel0
i must admit though, if this ad was only tailored for the Dutch audience then i can see the problem.
despite the fact that there's still racism here we have a rich tradition in creating ads that are a little over the top or breaking taboo's.
very little people in this country are bothered about it as much as people seem to be abroad..
we even had german sociologists complain about our sort of disrespectful humour a few times, but then i think they just don't get it.
like a lot of americans don't get or can't take the humour of the british kind..
- Mimio0
Post that shit in Detroit and watch the place burn. Different reality over here.
- Crouwel0
Post that shit in Mississippi and watch the place yearn. Different reality over here.
- flavorful0
I think everyone is missing the point that both of those broads are ugly as hell.
- Jaline0
*wonders what kind of hairspray white chick is using
- WildFlower0
ah well, if it's only being shown in Holland....
- TheBlueOne0
I think this brings up another interesting point - marketing/advertising wise. I mean even if you tailor a campaign to a local market - and probably that ad in either Holland or Asia wouldn't get a second look - with the power of the internet and a global company (SONY) and an international product (PSP) even a local campaign becomes global...
I still think they made a mistake..
- TheBlueOne0
I think this brings up another interesting point - marketing/advertising wise. I mean even if you tailor a campaign to a local market - and probably that ad in either Holland or Asia wouldn't get a second look - with the power of the internet and a global company (SONY) and an international product (PSP) even a local campaign becomes global...
I still think they made a mistake..
- flavorful0
Such another interesting point TheBlueOne had to post it twice!
- Mimio0
I think Sony knows that the Dutch will find it funny. Why that is, escapes me, they have a racially controversial history too. To me shit like this doesn't belong in the public space, corporations have no right to weigh-in on social issues in such a disingenuous manner.
- Crouwel0
don't think many asians were bothered about the south korean hitler techno bar or hong kong nazi fashion store.
that's the point about local vs. global.
but i agree, internets will not keep things localized.
- Jaline0
I think Sony knows that the Dutch will find it funny. Why that is, escapes me, they have a racially controversial history too. To me shit like this doesn't belong in the public space, corporations have no right to weigh-in on social issues in such a disingenuous manner.
Mimio
(Jul 6 06, 08:13)I think that's going too far. Social issues like this need to be out in the open, not hidden and never discussed about.
- Crouwel0
I think Sony knows that the Dutch will find it funny. Why that is, escapes me, they have a racially controversial history too. To me shit like this doesn't belong in the public space, corporations have no right to weigh-in on social issues in such a disingenuous manner.
Mimio
(Jul 6 06, 08:13)name me a country which has not experienced racial tensions/conflicts.
anyway, i can clearly see you aren't Dutch, Mimio. :D
- Mimio0
You're right Jaline, but this ad has nothing to do with that.
- Crouwel0
You're right Jaline, but this ad has nothing to do with that.
Mimio
(Jul 6 06, 08:16)what makes you say that?
do you honestly think the inventors of the ad where not AT ALL aware of the potential controversy they would create with this idea?
- Mimio0
Of course they are Janne. It's just not their job/role to force the issue in order to sell products. It's a dishonest presentation.
- Mimio0
C'mon they just employed racial tension as a provactive device to draw contrast between their two models of PSP's. Doesn't get any more superficial than that. Racism is not an issue to play with so lightly.