Is Sony Using Racism to Promote the PSP White?

*R-iZZy* · 07-04-2006, 10:28 PM

Quote:

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.

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?

SOURCE

I thought it would be a pretty interesting discussion, considering Sony's been pulling a lot of fishy moves, lately. This has become a hot topic on a few boards I've come across. Any personal opinions?

**ThirdMarioBro** · 07-04-2006, 10:36 PM

...okay, they just crossed the line. That's.....I think I'm going to puke. I'm serious here. This is just.......Christ.

Peanut · 07-04-2006, 10:36 PM

Sony has been pulling the whole racism thing with the PSP for a while now. No one has seen those PSP commercials with the squirrels or the scribble dudes? If that isn't racist, I don't know what is.

Whatever, Sony is going down hill. No one cares about the PSP, so why not stir up something to get it some more press? There's no such thing as bad press.

*Kid Icarus* · 07-05-2006, 12:06 AM

And Sony's the master of turning any press into bad press.

This ad's going to appeal to 20 something white males who like lesbians. Notice they're both female, and you can see the white chicks boobs.

*Spitfire* · 07-05-2006, 01:13 AM

Hahaha oh man that is funny beyond belief. I hope Sony burns, they just pissed off half of the people who play their system with this racist crap.

*Mecha Cow* · 07-05-2006, 11:56 AM

Is it racist? Probably not.
Is it in bad taste? Definitely.
Does the ad succeed? Yes.
Does that make it ok? No.

I really don't know what they were thinking when they came up with this one. But we're all talking about it, so I guess that makes it 'brilliant marketing'.

*Kid Icarus* · 07-05-2006, 03:09 PM

'cataly Mecha.

Like the name Wii. Love it or hate it, you know the name now and you know what it's about. Chances are you even know of a couple of games that were shown for it at E3.

Peanut · 07-05-2006, 06:00 PM

I don't think those two things are comparable. This is going to be out in the public eye. The Wii name isn't yet.

*R-iZZy* · 07-06-2006, 04:05 PM

Yeah, coming from a black American, the advertisement isn't racist. But what it does is remind people of a specific point in American history that people should try to overcome. With this ad, they're just reinforcing the idea of whites overpowering blacks in everyone's mind (or those who were taught of discrimination in America). Yeah, the PSP will get it's publicity and it just might prosper from this move. But is it a respectable one? No! Honestly, I had no problems with Sony before... but this was just a low-blow and a dirty trick. F*** Sony! I had ideas of getting the PS3 in the future, when it would be at a reasonalbe price... but nix that idea! I'd rather just get a Dreamcast now.

The PSP Squirrels didn't push my buttons far enough, but this one did.

**GK Punk** · 07-06-2006, 11:26 PM

Come on guys, let's not fight

Sliced · 07-06-2006, 11:55 PM

Hip hip hip... Hurray ! Hip hip hip .. Huray ! Yeah sony you rock. Man what a great pub. This will get the attention, I'm soooooo gonna get me a WHITE psp !

'' sarcasm ''

Yup here we go again... Sony are their worst enemy. I'm sure they somewhat hope that this will have the same effect GTA had with all the bad press. Must be somekind of last resort for Sony to have the attention.

Although I don't really see this as racism, but as a bad way to announce a product*. This is only ''representative''. A black women, dressed in black and not to hot looking representing the original ''black'' psp. Versus, the all new and superb ... . Just to show us that we ''will'' prefer the white version of the psp.

There's no need to be all upset, sure it will bring up that racism thing, but its not racism. Its just a good idea at the start, who turned damn wrong at the end. The bad press sony will have because of this won't help it sell more psp, don't you guys worry about that.

**GK Punk** · 07-07-2006, 12:15 AM

Comments removed, Please Keep it off the forums. We're all friends here.

*Dr. Doom* · 07-07-2006, 03:23 AM

I don't like any of you people.

OA · 07-08-2006, 02:39 PM

I don't really see this as racism but definately in bad taste...I mean we all know that the oringal PSP was in black and now they're touting their new white version....so for us, as gamers, we can basically see what they are trying to say: the white PSP is a superior product to the oringial black...that said, as an advertisment that will be seen by gamers and non-gamers alike, I can definately see where people can see the ad as a highly racist product...either way, it'll probably get people talking, which is what Sony wants anyways....

Peanut · 07-12-2006, 12:06 PM

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6153816.html

Sony pulled the ad. You'd figure someone would have caught how stupid it was before it made it onto billboards.

CookSux · 07-13-2006, 12:22 AM

what people fail to realize is that this is a set of ads in a campaign in denmark and some other european countries... not america

*Kid Icarus* · 07-13-2006, 12:27 AM

Yes, because racism is ONLY in America

*DrSpengler* · 07-13-2006, 12:33 AM

Since nobody's posted it, here's the companion ad that went with the other one:

Funny how nobody cares when a black chick is beating on a white chick. Other way around? RACIUM!!

*Spitfire* · 07-13-2006, 12:35 AM

It's only racist when a white person does something but when other races do it's okay. I learned that in school! I had a teacher tell me that -_-

*Kid Icarus* · 07-13-2006, 12:36 AM

Funny, it looks like they're both beating on eachother in that one.

07-04-2006, 10:36 PM	#2
ThirdMarioBro Tea Time! Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 8,905	...okay, they just crossed the line. That's.....I think I'm going to puke. I'm serious here. This is just.......Christ. __________________

07-05-2006, 01:13 AM	#5
Spitfire Writer • Director Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 12,035	Hahaha oh man that is funny beyond belief. I hope Sony burns, they just pissed off half of the people who play their system with this racist crap. __________________ Check out my online portfolio http://www.christopherpelletier.com/

07-05-2006, 11:56 AM	#6
Mecha Cow Gorgeous and modest too Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 3,699	Is it racist? Probably not. Is it in bad taste? Definitely. Does the ad succeed? Yes. Does that make it ok? No. I really don't know what they were thinking when they came up with this one. But we're all talking about it, so I guess that makes it 'brilliant marketing'. __________________

07-06-2006, 04:05 PM	#9
R-iZZy The Long Con Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: G'ville, FL (Gator Country), USA Posts: 3,007	Yeah, coming from a black American, the advertisement isn't racist. But what it does is remind people of a specific point in American history that people should try to overcome. With this ad, they're just reinforcing the idea of whites overpowering blacks in everyone's mind (or those who were taught of discrimination in America). Yeah, the PSP will get it's publicity and it just might prosper from this move. But is it a respectable one? No! Honestly, I had no problems with Sony before... but this was just a low-blow and a dirty trick. F*** Sony! I had ideas of getting the PS3 in the future, when it would be at a reasonalbe price... but nix that idea! I'd rather just get a Dreamcast now. The PSP Squirrels didn't push my buttons far enough, but this one did. __________________

07-06-2006, 11:55 PM	#11
Sliced Stone Warrior Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Right behind you Posts: 793	Hip hip hip... Hurray ! Hip hip hip .. Huray ! Yeah sony you rock. Man what a great pub. This will get the attention, I'm soooooo gonna get me a WHITE psp ! '' sarcasm '' Yup here we go again... Sony are their worst enemy. I'm sure they somewhat hope that this will have the same effect GTA had with all the bad press. Must be somekind of last resort for Sony to have the attention. Although I don't really see this as racism, but as a bad way to announce a product*. This is only ''representative''. A black women, dressed in black and not to hot looking representing the original ''black'' psp. Versus, the all new and superb ... . Just to show us that we ''will'' prefer the white version of the psp. There's no need to be all upset, sure it will bring up that racism thing, but its not racism. Its just a good idea at the start, who turned damn wrong at the end. The bad press sony will have because of this won't help it sell more psp, don't you guys worry about that. __________________

07-04-2006, 10:36 PM	#3
Peanut Second Gear Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The New World Posts: 15,422	Sony has been pulling the whole racism thing with the PSP for a while now. No one has seen those PSP commercials with the squirrels or the scribble dudes? If that isn't racist, I don't know what is. Whatever, Sony is going down hill. No one cares about the PSP, so why not stir up something to get it some more press? There's no such thing as bad press.

07-05-2006, 12:06 AM	#4
Kid Icarus Foot Elite Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Angel Land Posts: 4,150	And Sony's the master of turning any press into bad press. This ad's going to appeal to 20 something white males who like lesbians. Notice they're both female, and you can see the white chicks boobs.

07-05-2006, 03:09 PM	#7
Kid Icarus Foot Elite Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Angel Land Posts: 4,150	'cataly Mecha. Like the name Wii. Love it or hate it, you know the name now and you know what it's about. Chances are you even know of a couple of games that were shown for it at E3.

07-05-2006, 06:00 PM	#8
Peanut Second Gear Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The New World Posts: 15,422	I don't think those two things are comparable. This is going to be out in the public eye. The Wii name isn't yet.

07-06-2006, 11:26 PM	#10
GK Punk I'm your Devil Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 12,439	Come on guys, let's not fight

07-07-2006, 12:15 AM	#12
GK Punk I'm your Devil Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 12,439	Comments removed, Please Keep it off the forums. We're all friends here.

07-07-2006, 03:23 AM	#13
Dr. Doom Allons-y! Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Castle Doom Posts: 4,535	I don't like any of you people. __________________ I love you, Pickle.

07-08-2006, 02:39 PM	#14
OA Scatter the nuns!! Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 3,981	I don't really see this as racism but definately in bad taste...I mean we all know that the oringal PSP was in black and now they're touting their new white version....so for us, as gamers, we can basically see what they are trying to say: the white PSP is a superior product to the oringial black...that said, as an advertisment that will be seen by gamers and non-gamers alike, I can definately see where people can see the ad as a highly racist product...either way, it'll probably get people talking, which is what Sony wants anyways.... __________________

07-12-2006, 12:06 PM	#15
Peanut Second Gear Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The New World Posts: 15,422	http://www.gamespot.com/news/6153816.html Sony pulled the ad. You'd figure someone would have caught how stupid it was before it made it onto billboards.

07-13-2006, 12:22 AM	#16
CookSux Stone Warrior Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Sparta Posts: 928	what people fail to realize is that this is a set of ads in a campaign in denmark and some other european countries... not america __________________ http://http://cooksux.deviantart.com/ http://www.xanga.com/cooksux http://www.myspace.com/cooksux

07-13-2006, 12:27 AM	#17
Kid Icarus Foot Elite Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Angel Land Posts: 4,150	Yes, because racism is ONLY in America

07-13-2006, 12:33 AM	#18
DrSpengler Foot Elite Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 4,842	Since nobody's posted it, here's the companion ad that went with the other one: Funny how nobody cares when a black chick is beating on a white chick. Other way around? RACIUM!!

07-13-2006, 12:35 AM	#19
Spitfire Writer • Director Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 12,035	It's only racist when a white person does something but when other races do it's okay. I learned that in school! I had a teacher tell me that -_- __________________ Check out my online portfolio http://www.christopherpelletier.com/

07-13-2006, 12:36 AM	#20
Kid Icarus Foot Elite Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Angel Land Posts: 4,150	Funny, it looks like they're both beating on eachother in that one.