Posted Jul 04, 2006 at 07:20AM by Christopher C. Listed in: Opinions & Analysis Tags: Sony
Ó

The fourth of July is an special holiday instated that Americans might never forget the struggle for independence and freedom, as such it's somewhat ironic that this little beauty should come to our attention this morning. Behold, and bask in the glory of the most recent in Sony's spate of horrifically ill-advised ads.

White is coming

Just to be sure I wasn't being hypersensitive, I showed the picture to my girlfriend, her reaction, "Oh my God!' Then I showed it to my brother, who looked at it for a second, and then his eyes widened, "What the...!?!" So what do you guys think, is Sony just naively innocent, or are they just looking for attention any way they can get it?



UPDATE 1: Some new images have been found on the Dutch PSP homepage, which would seem to lay out the rest of the ad:


White PSP


White PSP    White PSP 



So they both get to have a go at each other, that makes it ok right? Not really, personally I still think the ad smacks of irresponsibility, and it's an underhanded and a sneaky attempt to cash in on public sentiment. Is it bold advertising? Yes, but as an artist who has done a lot of work in the advertising field, I have to say it's a very cheap move. Thumbs down on this campaign Sony.



For clarification, I feel that I should point out that while the ad itself is not necessarily racist, or promoting racism, its implications are of a questionable and tasteless nature.




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248 Comments


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   by Quzz (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » What?

I don't get it, are you suggesting this particular ad is somehow offensive or controversial??
There's nothing suggestive about this ad at all! I'm assuming you're thinking its a race thing or whatever, but uh... no, just no. You're reading too deeply there Freud Jr...


   Re: K Jones (Unregistered) - 2006-10-23
 » are u kidding?

please wake up kid.
   by Dumby (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » $ony will prove we're dumb!

Clearly Sony is TRYING to make controversy.
All the inevitable protesting that this ad will cause will get lots of news coverage, which won't show the ad of course, but will lead to lots of people going online to see the ad plus lots of other Sony information.
Sony WINS when people flock to see their advertising.
Meanwhile, any lawsuits can be tied up in courts for years and won't add up to the amount of coverage and publicity they got at society's expense.
Dirty pool, Sony! Dirty pool.

... I wonder if this would have been considered controversial say 30-40 years ago...

   by LOLLL (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » SONY

SONY IS BECOMING DIRTY MY FRIENDS.....

   by Darkwave (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » its ok?

I dont see whats wrong with it? :p Just another ad, which lets you think "The white is better, away with the black one" well ...if you think in an other way it might be a bit...

   by Zkilla (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » Old'd

Saw it on YTMND at least 3 days ago. I agree with Dumby though, this is GREAT publicity isnt it?

   by haha (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » sucxks

that sucks. I like the black psp way better then the white one-

   by h3inousguy - 2006-07-04
 » Yeah...

Sony stupid ads are getting annoying... Sure there funny, but I think there striving to be "controversial" with these ads to get attention... But even if they are funny.... they still are quite stupid...

   by Advertising -
   by RACIST (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » I don't see it

What's so unconventional about a white woman holding a Phantom of the Opera mask?
...wait, let me turn up my screen brightness higher..
...
...
oh... there he is.

   by njak (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » ...

@Quzz

if it was a white guy on that ad, you´d be thinking differently.

it´s the woman who saves it from being controversial.

   by mmm (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » nazi

thats kinda nazi of them sony make so many stupid ads.

   by nEcRo64x - 2006-07-04
 » where

Where is the white PSP coming out? Europe or America? Or both?

   by bigzolly (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » try again!

It looks a bit to arty-farty to me, probaly look better on the back of Esquire or GQ advertising some Calvin klein perfume!

I dont think it looks racisist at all, just *****!

   by a (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » its already out in europe

its already out in europe

   by core tactic (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » However

The white psps actually get dirtier than the black ones because dirt and smudges show up better on the black one. But I still have to admit, the white one looks pretty good.

   by blank (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » dumbass ad

the ad tries to be edgy but just ends up being stupid. its too easy to misinterpret the ad. they should just stick to something simple: half-naked chix playing a white psp. done. no race involved. just sexism like all other ads.



   by ekyfetweky (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » ill-advised?

It's a fact of life, some people are white, some people are black. I dont see how its "ill-advised" to have an ad like this which is simply using some of the diversity in our society to promote thier product. It happens all the time in everything, constant references in films etc to how white men cant play basketball........ is that also ill advised? I dont think so....

   by Advertising -
   by Noin (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » hey *****got

Europe has the white one for few months *****

   by Nerd - 2006-07-04
 » i think its good..

just like i thought theire red and white psp ads over the UK were good - these adverts are different, and stand out to people.

#10 - about the white bits; it means tan lines (i take it you're american) so the advert really was saying 'nude pics of my girlfriend here'

i dont think the ad is racist at all. i think its a very clever, metaphoric advert. it uses people in the place of the psp..think how boring it would be with a balck and a white psp alongside each other...using people brings the ad, and even the product to live..there just happens to be black people and white people to represent the PSP's

   by super beast (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » they should make new colours so we can have psp UN

wow those sony bastards how dare they point out skin colour in an ad how dare they...seriously though that isnt as bad as youre try to make it out to be sony have done worse with the psp ads (squirel ones) this is nothing calm down you are over analysing this to bring out an issue which i would guess doesnt really apply to you (meaning i guessing your not black) now me being black i see nothing wrong with this all they did was point out skin colours had they said white is better than black or something then you could start your petitions and your angry letters but not now

   by blabla (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » blabla

Can see what they were trying to do but they should have re-thought this as it does seem a bit wrong pitching humans in the ad.

   by *****a (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » against black skin?

this is racism!!

   by Dark_Lord - 2006-07-04
 » Stupid Nazis

You do think Sony would have learned their lessons by now, but once again they prove us wrong. Either Sony are Nazis, or they are plainly idiotic. Comming to think of it Japan had a strong alliance with Hitler and his Nazi party, so they may just be going back to their roots.

   by meeee (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » ....

sony owns

   by Jx1 - 2006-07-04
 » Great Ad!

I'm a graphic designer.
and if you see the "artsy" point of view, it's really not that bad nor racist.

it's well thought and very sleek indeed.

   by nat (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » wow

wow, im usually pretty relaxed about racism and such, but this does seem to over step the bountries on sony's part. the chick is pretty hot tho at any rate

   by . (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » .

@24 owns what a rubber duck? or maybe a pair of shoes???

   by Advertising -
   by audionewstalk (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » i cant laugh

clever marketing or not: i wont buy products from any company that is doing advertisment with racial content.

   by sony is gay (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » ....

dude look at the cloths they have on. Black guy seems to have on some kind of old slave uniform or something (u really cant see) and the white has on a more upper class type outfit. THe black man cant have any thing these days....first you took O.J. and now this?!?! lol im jp but yea. ITs pretty racist in my opinion....but mabye its because im black

   by Nerd - 2006-07-04
 » #23..

there is nothing wrong with this ad..you being ignorant; you see a black man alongside a white woman (and yes it appears the woman is dominating the man..but its just a metaphor which is representing the psp's; and advertising how the white psp is coming and is the next thing from sony) so yea you see a black and a white on the same poster and automatically think of racism and criticise th ad and sony for being racist - you kind of people is whats wrong with this world..

this ad isnt racist in anyway...i think you need to go away and think about the actual meaning of this ad..

   by sony is gay (Unregistered) - 2006-07-04
 » #30

well we know what it is actually trying to portay but think about the subliminal message that is there



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