Sony? Racists?!? Hell No

[JohnnyWalkerBlackLabel]

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/07/psp_white.jpg

this ad has been labeled racist....................

to be honest if Sony made a yellow psp and said "America, yellow is coming" I might have been annoyed, but that ad posted above is just an attention getter IMO

[Phat]

I don't understand the ad concept, nor see how it's really racist

[blckhaze]

wow, some people look for excuses to be retarted. there is not a shred of racism in that ad.

[Quinn]

Is the ad racist? No. Is it completely Idiotic? Yes.

-Quinn

[JohnnyWalkerBlackLabel]

Is the ad racist? No. Is it completely Idiotic? Yes.

-Quinn

agreed


here's the original post

Sony, seriously, this is getting out of hand. Every time we want to rethink what you're doing and try to back you guys up, you go and pull some stunt like this latest ad campaign in Holland, which, as one can see above, depicts a "white PSP" avatar/model violently holding the mouth of a "black PSP" avatar/model -- in commemoration of the launch of the ceramic white PSP, of course. The billboard pictured here is one of supposedly somewhere near 100 evocative images created for the campaign with the same theme, which found viewers of the ads -- and game lovers alike -- crying foul at Sony's latest foible cum PR fiasco (and believe us, we're sure to catch some fire for calling it just that). When it comes down to it we honestly don't think Sony is stupid enough to mean any ill will -- or smart enough to capitalize on a PR firestorm -- with such an ad campaign. But instead of confronting the issue and addressing peoples' concerns, they meagerly defended themselves to GamesIndustry.biz with the following: "The marketing campaign for the launch of the White PSP in the Benelux focuses on the contrast between the Black PSP model and the new Ceramic white PSP model," and "A variety of different treatments have been created as a campaign to either highlight the whiteness of the new model or contrast the black and the white models. Central to this campaign has been the creation of some stunningly photographed imagery..." Oh, make no mistake Sony, the animosity and drama of the imagery, the visceral emotional implication of powerful racial overtones, this is a huge blunder. And once again we find ourselves urging -- nay, demanding -- Tokyo reevaluate what the hell it is they're doing these days. Because mistake or not, this biz doesn't fly, Sony, and you're not helping the perception that you're an incredibly callous megacorp with ! little real direction.

[LoadedRevolver66]

Whoa, didn't even see the black guy first time around, then he popped out like one of those Magic Eye things. Not racist, but I can see where somebody, somewhere would say that. And Quinn's right, the ad is totally retarded. It neither informed me about said product or convinced me to buy it. Hell, I still don't know what is coming. Maybe its the ghost of Johnnie Cochran arising to spit rhymes, fight the man, and sue whitey, even though Sony is Asian. Either that, or I really need some sleep 8)

[NYCe]

Score another victory for Sony's advertising department. When launching new product lines or games, Sony usually goes to extremes to garner media attention. They seem to operate under the slogan "there's no such thing as bad publicity"

Case in point: When originally launching the PSP in the UK, Sony put the following ads near the tracks in the London subway system.

[laoda8]

http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/12/sony-pulls-psp-white-is-coming-ads-in-netherlands/


It doesn't come as much of a surprise after the virulent reaction we saw last week, Sony's pulled the plug on their "PSP White is coming" ad campaign in the Netherlands, which depicted, well, you know. We're not gonna call it an admission of guilt or anything (and neither did they, read on), but Sony did apologize to those offended by the campaign, also stating, "We recognize that the subject matter of one specific image may have caused concern in some countries not directly affected by the advertising. As a result, we have now withdrawn the campaign." We're quite well aware of the cultural context in which advertising must be taken, but it's apparent the world holds a company like Sony to a higher standard, and Sony can apparently recognize this as well. So, case closed, let's all move on with our lives now, yeah? We've got some toys to obsess over, no time for this foolish business.

[Dino Velvet]

Get used to seeing this.

[JRon]

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/07/psp_white.jpg

this ad has been labeled racist....................

to be honest if Sony made a yellow psp and said "America, yellow is coming" I might have been annoyed, but that ad posted above is just an attention getter IMO

Racist? No. Sexually suggestive and playing on taboos of white women with black men? Yes.

[Phat]

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/07/psp_white.jpg

this ad has been labeled racist....................

to be honest if Sony made a yellow psp and said "America, yellow is coming" I might have been annoyed, but that ad posted above is just an attention getter IMO

Racist? No. Sexually suggestive and playing on taboos of white women with black men? Yes.

I don't see that either.

[JRon]

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/07/psp_white.jpg

this ad has been labeled racist....................

to be honest if Sony made a yellow psp and said "America, yellow is coming" I might have been annoyed, but that ad posted above is just an attention getter IMO

Racist? No. Sexually suggestive and playing on taboos of white women with black men? Yes.

I don't see that either.

The phrase "White is coming" and the pose of the female model give it it's sexually suggestive nature.

Working under the assumption that interracial relationships in America are still widely considered taboo, at least in advertising, the interaction between the male and female model insinuates a flirty/sexy relationship that, I feel, is meant to spark a rise/titilation.

It's blatantly sexual, and tries to get a rise by showing this taboo - - noticable when compared to other advertisements. Beyond clothing ads, designed to attract a wide range of customers (i.e. Aberocrombie ads with half naked white and black men and women), ads in America rarely show interracial couples (think the new Gillete aftershave commercials with the female hands stroking the male actors faces - they are all same-race couples).

So, no, this isn't racist. But I think you gotta be blind not to see the sexuality in it.

[Kramer]

I guess its just not PC enough for the lefty lunatics that roam this planet.

Sony is playing with race, which is stupid. To me it implies, simply, 'move over black, white is coming', which is just a dumb message.

Its not racist, but the guy who created the idea should get another job!

[Phat]

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/07/psp_white.jpg

this ad has been labeled racist....................

to be honest if Sony made a yellow psp and said "America, yellow is coming" I might have been annoyed, but that ad posted above is just an attention getter IMO

Racist? No. Sexually suggestive and playing on taboos of white women with black men? Yes.

I don't see that either.

The phrase "White is coming" and the pose of the female model give it it's sexually suggestive nature.

Working under the assumption that interracial relationships in America are still widely considered taboo, at least in advertising, the interaction between the male and female model insinuates a flirty/sexy relationship that, I feel, is meant to spark a rise/titilation.

It's blatantly sexual, and tries to get a rise by showing this taboo - - noticable when compared to other advertisements. Beyond clothing ads, designed to attract a wide range of customers (i.e. Aberocrombie ads with half naked white and black men and women), ads in America rarely show interracial couples (think the new Gillete aftershave commercials with the female hands stroking the male actors faces - they are all same-race couples).

So, no, this isn't racist. But I think you gotta be blind not to see the sexuality in it.

Ok I see what you mean, but I think it's stupid. It doesn't make me want to buy the portable playstation or whatever sony is trying to sell.

[JRon]

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/07/psp_white.jpg

this ad has been labeled racist....................

to be honest if Sony made a yellow psp and said "America, yellow is coming" I might have been annoyed, but that ad posted above is just an attention getter IMO

Racist? No. Sexually suggestive and playing on taboos of white women with black men? Yes.

I don't see that either.

The phrase "White is coming" and the pose of the female model give it it's sexually suggestive nature.

Working under the assumption that interracial relationships in America are still widely considered taboo, at least in advertising, the interaction between the male and female model insinuates a flirty/sexy relationship that, I feel, is meant to spark a rise/titilation.

It's blatantly sexual, and tries to get a rise by showing this taboo - - noticable when compared to other advertisements. Beyond clothing ads, designed to attract a wide range of customers (i.e. Aberocrombie ads with half naked white and black men and women), ads in America rarely show interracial couples (think the new Gillete aftershave commercials with the female hands stroking the male actors faces - they are all same-race couples).

So, no, this isn't racist. But I think you gotta be blind not to see the sexuality in it.

Ok I see what you mean, but I think it's stupid. It doesn't make me want to buy the portable playstation or whatever sony is trying to sell.

Cosign. As JohnnyWalker originally said, it was meant to be an attention getter. I also think it's dumb and isn't going to get me to buy shit. Now, Axe and Tag body spray ads on the other hand...

[Phat]

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/07/psp_white.jpg

this ad has been labeled racist....................

to be honest if Sony made a yellow psp and said "America, yellow is coming" I might have been annoyed, but that ad posted above is just an attention getter IMO

Racist? No. Sexually suggestive and playing on taboos of white women with black men? Yes.

I don't see that either.

The phrase "White is coming" and the pose of the female model give it it's sexually suggestive nature.

Working under the assumption that interracial relationships in America are still widely considered taboo, at least in advertising, the interaction between the male and female model insinuates a flirty/sexy relationship that, I feel, is meant to spark a rise/titilation.

It's blatantly sexual, and tries to get a rise by showing this taboo - - noticable when compared to other advertisements. Beyond clothing ads, designed to attract a wide range of customers (i.e. Aberocrombie ads with half naked white and black men and women), ads in America rarely show interracial couples (think the new Gillete aftershave commercials with the female hands stroking the male actors faces - they are all same-race couples).

So, no, this isn't racist. But I think you gotta be blind not to see the sexuality in it.

Ok I see what you mean, but I think it's stupid. It doesn't make me want to buy the portable playstation or whatever sony is trying to sell.

Cosign. As JohnnyWalker originally said, it was meant to be an attention getter. I also think it's dumb and isn't going to get me to buy shit. Now, Axe and Tag body spray ads on the other hand...

yeah they have great advertising, but that stuff smells awful IMO

[laoda8]

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/07/psp_white.jpg

this ad has been labeled racist....................

to be honest if Sony made a yellow psp and said "America, yellow is coming" I might have been annoyed, but that ad posted above is just an attention getter IMO

Racist? No. Sexually suggestive and playing on taboos of white women with black men? Yes.

That's a black woman. And the ad was pretty suggestive. Black people aren't black psps, neither white people white psps. No matter how you see people, sony decided to use people of different races to represent their products. In this case, the black psp has been around too long, it's white psp time. Luckily they can just say "we're not competing with ourselves, just giving consumers a choice" that's well and good. So why the people color = psp color?

Either way it's squashed, sony has a track record of sh!tty advertising from the years worth of jack and daxter commercials, to the mexican dust bunnies and "brotha squerrels", to jesus plays psp to who knows what amount of crap they throw when the ps3 comes out.

None of this should take attention from the fact that psp sucks.

I like this one more anyway
http://news.smarthouse.com.au/images/shared/200607060141119459b_509x249.jpg

It doesn't suggest anything, and it uses a surreal snow white woman on a psp screen. It actually looks cool.

[Jamie Michelle]

Whoa, didn't even see the black guy first time around, then he popped out like one of those Magic Eye things. ...


It sounds like your monitor's gamma isn't adjusted properly. Most people's monitors aren't.

If you are on the Windows operating system, your monitor should be adjusted for a gamma correction of 2.2 at a temperature of 6500 K. The below two webpages are great resources for setting one's gamma correctly:

"Monitor calibration and gamma" by Norman Koren:

http://www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints1A.html

"The Monitor calibration and Gamma assessment page":

http://www.photoscientia.co.uk/Gamma.htm



... Not racist, but I can see where somebody, somewhere would say that. And Quinn's right, the ad is totally retarded. It neither informed me about said product or convinced me to buy it. Hell, I still don't know what is coming. Maybe its the ghost of Johnnie Cochran arising to spit rhymes, fight the man, and sue whitey, even though Sony is Asian. Either that, or I really need some sleep 8)