Sony PSP Ad creates cries of Racism ...

[Bling]

A new billboard advert for Sony's white PSP has caused consternation across the US videogaming community. The ad shows a white model dressed entirely in white threateningly grasping the face of a black model. Next to them are the words, "PlayStation Portable. White is coming". The ad can also be seen on the Dutch official PSP site.

Sites such as Kotaku, Joystiq and Digital Battle have questioned whether the ads are racist. So far the debate has split comments sections with some condeming Sony and equal numbers defending the ads as a harmless personfication of the handheld console's two available colours.

Clearly, whatever the justifications, the intention is to be provocative. According to Joystiq, the adverts have been created by TBWA an agency that speciliases in 'disruptive' marketing. From the company's website:

"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.

It's questionable, however, whether the world is ready to explore themes of race and domination in the context of a videogame console ad. Although not as wilfully controversial as Benetton's infamous 'United Colours' campaign, many viewers will be unwilling or unable to decode the imagery until it becomes about two different colours of plastic.

Importantly perhaps, the ads are for the European release of the white PSP and are appearing on billboards in Amsterdam rather than in the US where racial tension remains a fraught issue.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/games/archives/2006/07/05/sony_ad_casues_white_riot.html

[Guest pod]

Eh, well it made ya look, didn't it?

If this gets your panties in a bind I feel bad for you.

[Guest ILLMATIC]

Yeah that ad is soooooooooooo threatening. I think I am going to call Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson. LOL

Actually, I wouldn't mind where she grabbed me.

Bling, have you subscribed to Xbox live yet? If not WTF are you waiting for????

[ryan2772]

Yeah that ad is soooooooooooo threatening. I think I am going to call Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson. LOL

Actually, I wouldn't mind where she grabbed me.

Bling, have you subscribed to Xbox live yet? If not WTF are you waiting for????

excellent threadjack.

yeah, bling, so what's up with xbox live???

[240turbo]

What's the big deal? Well, maybe in the US where people are so hypersensitive about shit it might be a big deal. But I don't see anything wrong with it.

[Guest trancepriest]

I guess Sony has never heard that that once you go black you can never go back. The white PSP looks pretty corny. Albeit that model could grab some of my best black features.

[Guest pod]

What's the big deal? Well' date=' maybe in the US where people are so hypersensitive about shit it might be a big deal. But I don't see anything wrong with it.

[/quote']

Oddly enough the ad is being made a fuss over in the UK.

[Guest trancepriest]

Well the entire nature of the ad plays on race... so its not that far stretched to see people being pissed at this ad. If it had pictured a black man eating/fucking a blonde white woman and she was cumming... well then it would be perfectly fine.

[Guest xmuzik]

you gotta look on the brightside , i bet Albino people everywhere are looking forward to this new version of the PSP

[Guest ILLMATIC]

Well the entire nature of the ad plays on race... so its not that far stretched to see people being pissed at this ad. If it had pictured a black man eating/fucking a blonde white woman and she was cumming... well then it would be perfectly fine.

"Whatchu Talking 'Bout Willis"

LMAO!

[Bling]

Yeah that ad is soooooooooooo threatening. I think I am going to call Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson. LOL

Actually, I wouldn't mind where she grabbed me.

Bling, have you subscribed to Xbox live yet? If not WTF are you waiting for????

been playin too much oblivion... well not lately but thats takin up all my time..

at least until next tues when prey comes out.. prolly gonna get live as well. that game looks sweet

[Guest ILLMATIC]

Yeah that ad is soooooooooooo threatening. I think I am going to call Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson. LOL

Actually, I wouldn't mind where she grabbed me.

Bling, have you subscribed to Xbox live yet? If not WTF are you waiting for????

been playin too much oblivion... well not lately but thats takin up all my time..

at least until next tues when prey comes out.. prolly gonna get live as well. that game looks sweet

Download the demo first.

Oh yeah I forgot you don't have Xbox Live!

I did not like it. It was weird but I wouldn't buy it.

[Bling]

i read great reviews i love games like doom 3.. i know its weird with the antigravity effects and all i read its as much a puzzle solver as it is fps and i read the story is very strong which is rare for fps'

only other strong storylines for fps' id say are half life and halo

[240turbo]

Well the entire nature of the ad plays on race... so its not that far stretched to see people being pissed at this ad. If it had pictured a black man eating/fucking a blonde white woman and she was cumming... well then it would be perfectly fine.

LOL. I seriously doubt it. Not in America at least. In this country racial tension might be downplayed to a certain extent but it is alive and well. Personally I think it's probaly worse than before since people keep it bottled in and are forced to be politically correct. On another note, the good thing about the US, well in certain cities at least; Such as NYC there is such ethnical diversity that, people of different backgrounds actually mingle with each other and get used to their subjective idiosyncrasies and customs. People say South Florida is diverse, I say it's a bunch of hogwash. SF is Hispanically diverse but not as a whole. Nowhere near as much as NYC. You can walk down a street in Manhattan and meet people from all over the world, Poland, Nigeria, Croatia, Colombia, Australia, Singapore blah, blah you get the point, and they each have their own communities which are significant in their own right.

[Guest coach]

It seems unnecessarily racially charged. I mean, they coulda just done 2 white chicks, one in white, one in black, or something like that. Anyway, it's a stupid ad, no matter what. And any techno-gadget in white is stupid. Techo-shit should be in black or purple. Or maybe puke green or lemon yellow. But not white.

[Guest pod]

Matte black. White and any gloss finish gets scratched too easily. Especially for a mobile product. My phone looks like ass, it used to have a glossy gold finish.

[Guest slamminshaun]

They should post that billboard in North Korea and Iran.

[Guest coach]

Matte black. White and any gloss finish gets scratched too easily. Especially for a mobile product. My phone looks like ass, it used to have a glossy gold finish.

Not that I was taking another pot-shot at Mac users.

[Guest ILLMATIC]

Well the entire nature of the ad plays on race... so its not that far stretched to see people being pissed at this ad. If it had pictured a black man eating/fucking a blonde white woman and she was cumming... well then it would be perfectly fine.

LOL. I seriously doubt it. Not in America at least. In this country racial tension might be downplayed to a certain extent but it is alive and well. Personally I think it's probaly worse than before since people keep it bottled in and are forced to be politically correct. On another note' date=' the good thing about the US, well in certain cities at least; Such as NYC there is such ethnical diversity that, people of different backgrounds actually mingle with each other and get used to their subjective idiosyncrasies and customs. People say South Florida is diverse, I say it's a bunch of hogwash. SF is Hispanically diverse but not as a whole. Nowhere near as much as NYC. You can walk down a street in Manhattan and meet people from all over the world, Poland, Nigeria, Croatia, Colombia, Australia, Singapore blah, blah you get the point, and they each have their own communities which are significant in their own right.

[/quote']

Good point!

[Guest JMT]

i seriously doubt people who lived during the 60s would say this country is more racist now.

[240turbo]

i seriously doubt people who lived during the 60s would say this country is more racist now.

You'd be surprised... To a certain extent I agree with you, sure there is no more lynching etc...But this is where I disagree. Like I said people keep it bottled in which makes it worse IMO. Especially in this society of psychos. You never know what the guy standing next to you is thinking. People will say nasty things about other races when they are around their own kind and when around others, they'll break out a fake smile. The shit I hear in public places from people that mistakenly think I am Hispanic or Arab is insane. And I have friends of different races that tell me the same thing. To say there is no racial tension in this country is hogwash. That would be very naive. Nowadays people just know how to exercise restraint, political correctness and tact.

[Guest ILLMATIC]

i seriously doubt people who lived during the 60s would say this country is more racist now.

You'd be surprised... To a certain extent I agree with you' date=' sure there is no more lynching etc...But this is where I disagree. Like I said people keep it bottled in which makes it worse IMO. Especially in this society of psychos. You never know what the guy standing next to you is thinking. People will say nasty things about other races when they are around their own kind and when around others, they'll break out a fake smile. The shit I hear in public places from people that mistakenly think I am Hispanic or Arab is insane. And I have friends of different races that tell me the same thing. To say there is no racial tension in this country is hogwash. That would be very naive. Nowadays people just know how to exercise restraint, political correctness and tact.

[/quote']

N@#$A I HATE YOU!

Just playing

[240turbo]

i seriously doubt people who lived during the 60s would say this country is more racist now.

You'd be surprised... To a certain extent I agree with you, sure there is no more lynching etc...But this is where I disagree. Like I said people keep it bottled in which makes it worse IMO. Especially in this society of psychos. You never know what the guy standing next to you is thinking. People will say nasty things about other races when they are around their own kind and when around others, they'll break out a fake smile. The shit I hear in public places from people that mistakenly think I am Hispanic or Arab is insane. And I have friends of different races that tell me the same thing. To say there is no racial tension in this country is hogwash. That would be very naive. Nowadays people just know how to exercise restraint, political correctness and tact.

N@#$A I HATE YOU!

Just playing

LMAO!!

[Guest ILLMATIC]

Is there anything different between the two PSP's?

[Guest trancepriest]

Is there anything different between the two PSP's?

Yup one is white and one is black. That makes a world of difference.