Gaming Racist PSP ad?

[SilentSecurity]

A few gaming sites I was on recently were buzzing with posts about a racist PSP ad. Here's a little quote from the Gamespot article I found about the situation.

[quote]In a statement titled "Sony stoops to new low with racially charged ad," Yee said he was "deeply disappointed" in the publisher's decision to run the ad, which features a white woman holding a black woman by the jaw in a threatening manner. Sony has said the ad, one in a series that features the white woman promoting the system in a variety of ways, was designed to show the contrast between the colors of the new and old PSPs, and has "no other message or purpose." [/quote]

Here's what all the fuss is about.

[IMG]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a76/SilentSecurity/sony_screen001.jpg[/IMG]

When I first saw it I thought it was kind of odd that they'd do something like this. Then I took a step back and looked around at all the other kind of ads you see today. Last night I was watching SNL and a Budweiser Select ad came on, it showed a guy pull a beer out of a cooler and then he was all of the sudden in the Caribbean with half nude women grinding on him.So.if I drink a Bud Select that's going to happen to me? Ha! I wish. This PSP ad makes a lot more sense than that beer commercial did when it comes to an advertising stand point, but the only reason that it's causing more of a splash than a commercial with provocative dancing women with beer is because every time people begin to compare two races in this manner the suits in DC get the shivers and start throwing out big words saying it's wrong to do this sort of advertising. Now, if the black woman was doing this to the white woman would there be as big of a fuss, maybe.but I doubt it. People have got to start looking beyond the color of people's skin and start looking at the meaning of this ad.it's just saying that the white PSP is the new thing. I'm not saying to forget the past and all the old prejudices and problems there, but if we keep doing this kind of fussing every time a multi-race ad like this pops up then we're always going to be stuck in the same rut.

[BlackTigerOFire]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=RoyalBlue][CENTER]Here is my veiw on this matter.

If we allow people to advertise something like this, it just gives companies a more of a reason to advertise more of these ads that could more like this. Yes, it is merly saying that the white PS2 is better than the oringal but if you look at it deep enough, people will also see that it is saying that a white woman is better than a black person. Some people see it that way.

People should make an ad that would attact the same audience. Black and white. Not something that will offend anyone. This type of ad would offend mostly the black population. So dropping the selling process of this object. This ad offends the black audience that is why their is a big deal on this and if it was vise versa, I do think that the white audience. Possible a bigger deal then what they are making of this right now.

People just got to be smart on how they advertise things.[/CENTER][/COLOR][/FONT]

[2010DigitalBoy]

I'm with Itachi, it's just a stupid *** ad idea. I mean how on earth di dthey not think this would be takien negatively? Seriously, why is the white one like crushing the black? This ad might actually BE racist O_O

[Papa Smurf]

Again, it comes down to getting the product name out there, in the public discourse. As bizarre and edgy as this ad may seem...it's doing its job.

Kudos to Sony for coming up with another great ad campaign. It reminds me of their URNOT[color=Red]E[color=Black] ads before PSX.[/color][/color]

[GTK]

I personally think the ad looks really cool. People are just too quick to complain about things.

I mean if it had been two black chicks (one wearing white) or two white chicks (with one in black), it wouldn't have been nearly as dramatic.

I mean, the point is that white is newer and better so you should buy it. (I've actually got a white PS2 ^^; if I didn't think the PSP was so worthless, I'd totally buy a white one just so they'd match)

[Guest Gun Preacher]

as a black person i'm not personaly offended but i just dont like the fact of the black woman being held like that it might be a hidden bit of racisim in there cause the could have had to people of the same race one dressed in all black and the other in white and got there point across just the same and with out the world making a fuss.

[BlackTigerGurl]

[quote name='Gun Preacher']as a black person i'm not personaly offended but i just dont like the fact of the black woman being held like that it might be a hidden bit of racisim in there cause the could have had to people of the same race one dressed in all black and the other in white and got there point across just the same and with out the world making a fuss.[/quote]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=DarkRed][CENTER]Yes, I agree. They could of done the ad in a whole different way then what they did. I, as a black person, isn't personally offended but still hurt in a way that they would do such an add. It sort of shames me.[/CENTER][/COLOR][/FONT]

[Panache]

I don't personally have a problem with it. I really don't think it's that big a deal. People just like to stir up problems and I think thats what this all boils down too. I mean if dave chapelle's and Carlos Mencias careers can flourish I don't see how this is an issue. Oh and in Japan(sonyies headquarters) black and white rasicsm isn't that big of a deal as it is here in america. So they just thought "man this is cool lets do this." But then again I don't beileve rascism exist sooo um yea.

[Retribution]

[quote name='Avenged666fold']I don't personally have a problem with it. I really don't think it's that big a deal. People just like to stir up problems and I think thats what this all boils down too. I mean if dave chapelle's and Carlos Mencias careers can flourish I don't see how this is an issue. Oh and in Japan(sonyies headquarters) black and white rasicsm isn't that big of a deal as it is here in america. So they just thought "man this is cool lets do this." But then again I don't beileve rascism exist sooo um yea.[/quote]
[size=1]I think there's a stark difference between comedic jokes and an extremely edgy and racially charged advertisement.

Yee said he was "disappointed," meaning even though Japan doesn't have as much racial division, [I]it was wrong to him[/I]. You must be blind for thinking racism doesn't exist anymore.

In any event, I find this advertisement to be disgusting. It screams of white superiority -- the pose, the lighting, the facial expressions, and the text all point to it. "White is coming," as she holds a black man's head with a sullen, slightly angry look on her face. Yes, the point is certainly that white is newer and better, GTK. Thank you for refuting your own point for me. This ad is certainly racist, and if it was not published with those intentions, it still happened to be so.

I'm rather suprised, Papa Smurf, that you're congratulating Sony on this ad-campeign. Sure, it drew attention to the product, which was their goal, but this attention in many instances I'm sure was bad attention. I'm not sure if you were being sarcastic, but high-fiving Sony for launching a racist ad is ridiculous. You're supporting discrimination and racial inequality?

All I'm wondering is 'Sony, what the hell were you thinking?'[/size]

[Tatsubei Yagyu]

[COLOR=Navy][FONT=Comic Sans MS]I thought you were talking about the one with the Squrrels.

[IMG]http://images.google.com/url?q=http://static.flickr.com/41/79383412_0a27b2a5cc_m.jpg[/IMG]
"I'd hit that."

Did they not find [I][B]THIS[/B][/I] racist? I guess its not, considering there's no black squirrel pounding on a white squirrel. :animeswea

But seriously, as a black dude (OMG, Tatsu's a black guy?!?:animestun ), I'm not really insulted, I actually think the ad's pretty wicked, but I can see how others would be. I'm shocked that they didn't think that people would react to badly, in the world we live in.

I'm not one that gets affended by much, but I do think they should change it, for the sake of people's feelings, too.

I still want a PSP. :p[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Red]EDIT: I just read Retri's post, and though it [B]DOES[/B] scream racism, I'm not really looking in to that. I just see them advertising the PSP.

Maybe my eyes are just to innocent...[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Panache]

[QUOTE]You must be blind for thinking racism doesn't exist anymore.[/QUOTE]
Ha ha anymore. I never thought it existed. Im ignorant to ignorance. Anyway everyone is differnet. So some people will be offended by this and some wont. Im almost positive that everyone in school will have a white psp when it comes out. My school is probably 89% black so yea. I mean nowadays mostly the only people offended by this kind of thing is white people. Which doesn't make much sense to me(being part black). Really it's just an ad. I doubt it's inherantly rascist. Ds lite is better anyway so who cares. Actually there is something offensive about this ad. Those ladies are ugly both of them.

[Ikillion]

[COLOR=#af992f][SIZE=1][FONT=Comic Sans MS][quote name='Tatsubei Yagyu][COLOR=Navy][FONT=Comic Sans MS]But seriously, as a black dude (OMG, Tatsu's a black guy?!?:animestun )[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote]

Liek OMG! Me too -high fives- :animenose

The sorry part about this is, when I first saw the picture I didn't know there was a black person in their till I read that their was one, then I was kinda like "Woah!...hod did I miss that."...Yeah

For me, I wasnt offended in any way, I though it was rather intresting (once I knew that there was a black person in the photo.) Yet for some reason, I really want to get a white PSP now anyways since I broke mine. -awaits the hate mail-

So yeah, for me the Ad, kinda worked. In some odd way.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Panache]

[QUOTE=Ikillion][COLOR=#af992f][SIZE=1][FONT=Comic Sans MS]

Liek OMG! Me too -high fives- :animenose

The sorry part about this is, when I first saw the picture I didn't know there was a black person in their till I read that their was one, then I was kinda like "Woah!...hod did I miss that."...Yeah

For me, I wasnt offended in any way, I though it was rather intresting (once I knew that there was a black person in the photo.) Yet for some reason, I really want to get a white PSP now anyways since I broke mine. -awaits the hate mail-

So yeah, for me the Ad, kinda worked. In some odd way.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE]
Yea the lady is quite hard to see. I didn't really see anything till I squinted.

[Guest Cynical]

This isn't exactly the first time Sony has caused controversy with their ads. If anybody remembers the italian ad sony did for the ten year anniversary of the ps1, that caused alot of controversy. The ad features a young man's face, encircled by what appears to be a crown of thorns, but on closer inspection is actually the square, circle, and triangle shapes of the PlayStation controller, I really liked that ad, it was released near when the passion of the christ came out, a obvious allusion to the movie. Here is a picture of the ad,
[IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y278/Haseo/3060000000047333.jpg[/IMG]

Back on topic though, the ad is somewhat racist, but its sony, what can you expect? Its pretty edgy, I thought it was a well planed ad, and I don't have a problem with it. There will always be edgy ads like this, its best not to get upset, its not going to keep companys from doing it.

[BlackTigerGurl]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=DarkRed][CENTER]Even though companies are going to keep doing it, someone is going to take it over the edge. Are we suppose to let it fly on by us then even though it would offend some people?

The ad offends me a little bit but not to the point where I want to make a big deal about it. Acutally, I want to get the white PSP but my mother of father would have to get it for me. Hehe. So, yes it did served it purpose but I just wished Sony had done it in a different way. :animesigh [/CENTER][/COLOR][/FONT]

[Guest Cynical]

There isn't really an edge to go over though, like this ad, some people will get incredibly offended, others won't. It would take a add that is offensive to someone with the power to stop it, if Sony ever releases an ad similer to this one expect to hear more of Jack Thompson and the Hilary Clinton squad.

[Papa Smurf]

[QUOTE=Retribution]I'm rather suprised, Papa Smurf, that you're congratulating Sony on this ad-campeign. Sure, it drew attention to the product, which was their goal, but this attention in many instances I'm sure was bad attention. I'm not sure if you were being sarcastic, but high-fiving Sony for launching a racist ad is ridiculous. You're supporting discrimination and racial inequality?

All I'm wondering is 'Sony, what the hell were you thinking?'[/QUOTE]
I give Sony props for the ad campaign because it's a smart way to get people talking about the product.

If you're going to suggest that I'm supporting discrimination and racial inequality, you need to explicitly explain how the ad is racist at all.

Because it's not racist in the least. It's a white woman getting in the face of a black woman. Big deal. That's not racism. If you had the white woman whipping the black one? Yeah, that'd be just a tad racist.

But a white woman getting in the face of a black one? When the white woman clearly represents the *NEW* White PSP, whereas the black woman clearly represents the *CURRENT* Black PSP?

Yes, that's so racist, because Sony is trying to emphasize a new product, get consumers interested, and try to re-invigorate the PSP's ailing marketshare by injecting a "White is the new Black" theme.

And "White is the new Black" is hardly racist.

So come off it. There's no racism there if you actually think about why they've structured their ad the way they did.

[BlackTigerGurl]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=DarkRed][CENTER]So it doesn't show the white woman beating on the black woman, but does it have to? Racisim can be in any shape or form it matters how you present it. Here, Sony didn't present it clearly enough for me. For others, sure but for me, not.[/CENTER][/COLOR][/FONT]

[Papa Smurf]

Again, tell me how it's racist. How is a white woman getting up in a black woman's face--in any context, for any product--automatically racist? If a simple threatening gesture (like the hand on the face in the PSP ad) is all it takes for people to scream "RACISM!!!" then I'm losing faith in humanity much faster than I normally would.

Let's be perfectly realistic here: the only inclusion of race in that ad is the color of the skin. That's it.

There is [u][b][i]ZERO[/i][/b][/u] racism in that ad. Consider the following facts:

Nintendo just came out with DS Lite (one of the colors is white, and it looks gorgeous), and it's selling like crazy.

Sony wants to get in on that action, so they come out with a white PSP.

Their original design, like the original design for PS2...was black.

In order to maintain eye-catching advertisements--the ads they're known for (see URNOT[color=Red]E[/color])--they utilize color to an extent to get people's attention.

That color utilization makes perfect sense, given what the old and new products are (black PSP, white PSP), and what kind of edginess Sony is trying to achieve.

Racism? Absolutely not.

[Tatsubei Yagyu]

[COLOR=Navy][FONT=Comic Sans MS][quote name='BlackTigerGurl][FONT=Arial][COLOR=DarkRed][CENTER]Here, Sony didn't present it clearly enough for me. For others, sure but for me, not.[/CENTER][/COLOR'][/FONT][/quote]
I quoted this one to use in my point, that though something may not be directly racist, there are some people are gonna find it so, no matter what you say, Papa Smurf. BlackTigerGurl say herself that she understood that it wasn't racist, while you should understand that some people are gonna find it so, considering there's a black person being looked down upon by a white person, no matter the reason.

Again, I understand why it could be called racist, but I don't think it is, because its not supose to be. Inless they're trying to be slick and get away with it, then it is racist. :o [/FONT][/COLOR]

[James]

[font=arial]It doesn't surprise me that Americans are reacting so harshly to this ad. I doubt it is stirring the same controversy in Europe.

Just because it contains a black woman and a white woman in opposition does [i]not[/i] make it racist. If it included a blonde haired woman and a brunette in opposition, are you going to call it anti-blonde or something? Are we going to get so sensitive about media that we start censoring everything unnecessarily?

This ad shows one thing: contrast between the colours black and white. The people are anonymous and there is no underlying message - it's a purely visual statement, designed to show black and white in sharp contrast. I actually think a lot of the photos in the campaign are pretty artistic. I'm as annoyed and appalled by racism as the next person, but I didn't once regard these ads as racist.[/font]

[Papa Smurf]

You know, I started to wonder what some of the other images in this ad campaign were.

[img]http://images2.ggl.com/articles/7_5_06/pspads.jpg[/img]


Let me get this straight. In the image posted earlier in the thread, people didn't like the white PSP getting up in the black PSP's face, and accused the ad of being racist?

So does that mean the second ad here, with the black PSP on top of the white PSP, is also racist? Is it supporting the Black Panther movement? Is it calling for blacks everywhere to rise up and fight whites?

People, these ads are not racist. They're edgy contrasts of color. That's it.

And people are missing (ignoring?) that because they want something to complain about.

[BlueYoshi]

[quote name='Papa Smurf']Because it's not racist in the least. It's a white woman getting in the face of a black woman. Big deal. That's not racism. If you had the white woman whipping the black one? Yeah, that'd be just a tad racist.[/quote]

[color=darkred]Yeah, absolutely. The women in the ad are simply a form of representation of the two PSP colours, and I honestly don't see it going any further than that. At the end of the day, it serves its purpose; people want to go out and buy a White PSP. I'm not saying that the ends justify the means, because there isn't anything that has to be justified. I bet that even those who had planned on getting a White PSP before the ad was released won't let it influence their decision in getting one.

Sure, the ad may be controversial, but it's powerful nonetheless.[/color]

[Shinmaru]

[quote name='Papa Smurf][img']http://images2.ggl.com/articles/7_5_06/pspads.jpg[/img][/quote]

You know, it's interesting that you post those other ads, Papa Smurf... because until I read your post just now, the only ad that I had seen was the one that everyone is in an uproar about. Singling out the ad in question and totally ignoring the other ads in the series like people have been doing thus far (and I think that it's pretty obvious that they're [i]meant[/i] to be a connected series of ads) is basically engaging in a loaded debate against Sony, which isn't very fair to them (and I say that as someone who isn't much of a Sony fan).

Anyway, I can only agree with you that the ad is a contrast in colors and nothing more, especially in light of the other ads.

[visualkei]

[quote name='Papa Smurf']White is the new Black.[/quote]

I've got to agree what you're saying since the begining of this thread. I really don't think the ad is trying to be racist, but that seems so because of the sensitive reaction of people in the US. If the two women were switched, would there be so much complaints about racism?

Yeah, White is the new Black; I really think this is one of the trends Sony is trying to get in to, and personify it by employing two models with extreme contrasting clothes and skin color.

This ad is quite edgy and smart. Two sleek-looking women in contrast, fighting, so it really catches the eye. Shoot, I know nothing about video games and such, but if I saw an ad like that on the street, it'll get my attention.

THEN Papa Smurf busts out with the other ads. And here I thought this ad only came with one picture! :cool: