Sony's white PSP ad draws more fire

[wraggster]

Via Gamespot (http://us.gamespot.com/news/6153643.html)

A Sony PSP ad promoting the new Ceramic White model of the system in the Netherlands is causing an international stir. Gaming Web sites and message boards have lit up with debate over the ad this week after a picture went up on digitalbattle.com, and now California Assemblyman Leland Yee and the San Jose/Silicon Valley chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) have made their feelings on the issue known.

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."

"Whether in the US or abroad, using differences in skin color to articulate the fact that your video game console now comes in white can be interpreted as insensitive at best and racist at worst," Yee said.

Rick Callender, president of the San Jose/Silicon Valley chapter of the NAACP, echoed Yee's displeasure.

"The days of blacks being portrayed in minstrel shows are long gone, and with good reason," Callender said. "The minstrel show was an awful chapter in history and this ad smacks of that age and time. It is even further unacceptable that some corporations still think it is ok to use racially charged media images. The latest Sony ad conjures up bad memories of when stereotypical and offensive images of people of color were accepted means of selling a product. Sony should immediately apologize and discontinue these archaic advertising tactics."

This is not the first time Yee has taken exception to actions in the gaming industry. He authored California's violent game restriction law (currently being challenged in the courts), and was among the first to call for a rerating of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as a result of the Hot Coffee scandal.

[Voltron]

Clever Sony has done it again. This add was created to purposely stir up controversy and create attention to the PSP. The add is somewhat controversial but that is what was intended. Sony has achieved their goal of mass media attention to the PSP and their ad. The media fell right into Sony's trap.

I happen to like the ad and don't see anything wrong with it. I admire Sony for having the ball$ to use this type of marketing.

Black people have BROWN skin. Not Black like the PSP is colored. This ad simply demonstrates the contrast between the Black & White PSP.

[migsgiz]

yhea i agree with voltron
there nothing wrong with this ad

[ACID]

Here here i agree with voltron too.

[GeEkPiE]

some people in this world are sooo anoying, why cant they just stop tryin to get money all the time by sueing

some people are greedy and selfish in this world

[xsimmonsx]

Yawn! This topic is boring the crap out of me now. If it had been vice versa (black on white) they'd be no complaints.

[samidgley]

I think there would have been the same complaint sI"m sure... plus if Sony are only doing it as an attempt to be controversial it's still shockingly ridiculous

[F9zDark]

Black people have BROWN skin. Not Black like the PSP is colored. This ad simply demonstrates the contrast between the Black & White PSP.

Then why is Sony using a brown skinned person then?

This statement makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Aside from that, your other opinions are spot on; I do feel Sony is doing this to draw attention to itself. And apparently its working.

[gotmilk0112]

stupid ass $ony. any person would say that it is racism because what the ad LOOKS like it is saying is "white psp is better than black psp". stupid sony keeps making racial ads, they're gona get BANNED AND PWND!!!! :p

[DimensionT]

I made this comment in the last topic about this (I moved it here because the last topic ran it's course):

If both of the people in this ad were viewed the way they should be (disregarding race) no one would see anything wrong with it. It would just be one person grabbing another... But sence everyone has preconceived notions of what's right and wrong, they tend look right past the medium and directly at the controversy.

Upsets like this just draw a thicker line between races.

More pictures from the same ad campaign:
http://pspupdates.qj.net/uploads/articles_module/57882/pic-3.jpg
http://pspupdates.qj.net/uploads/articles_module/57882/pic-2.jpg
http://pspupdates.qj.net/uploads/articles_module/57882/pic-1.jpg

[Voltron]

Then why is Sony using a brown skinned person then? This statement makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

I stated this because the argument people are making in terms of racism and this ad is that they think it portrays WHITE race being SUPERIOR to BLACK race.

The ad doesn't say one is better than the other. Race, skin color, or PSP color. It simply says "White is coming"

But lets not be totally naive. Sony portrayed the people in the ad this way on purpose. Why? So that we could do exactly what we are doing now. Talk about the PSP, both white & black. I saw coverage of this ad on a nightly news program that most older adults probably tune in to. This is making more people aware of the PSP. Controversial or not. Do you think black people will not boycott the PS3, PSP, or any Sony product for that matter? Not likely. I'm sick of people trying to play the race card when it comes to these things.

Anyway, nice job Sony! Who is your marketing firm?

[RvLeshrac]

It would help if people would stop the 'reverse' racism as well.

I agree that the 'minstrel' shows were indeed racist. However, I don't see the NAACP releasing statements about black comedians making fun of whites, or mexicans, or asians...

I loved the Chappelle Show, but if I was a reactionary asshole like these people, I would've been off writing to my congressman about how the negative portrayal of whites in the show needed to be stopped.

When a black man portrays a funny black crackhead taking advantage of the stereotypical 'clueless,' 'sheltered,' 'rich' white couple, we call it entertainment.

When a company releases ads that have a black woman and a white woman having a scuffle, we call it racist.

How about people start taking things as they're meant to be taken, and stop digging for things to whine about?

The ads may be idiotic trash, but they're definitely NOT racist.


I stated this because the argument people are making in terms of racism and this ad is that they think it portrays WHITE race being SUPERIOR to BLACK race.

The ad doesn't say one is better than the other. Race, skin color, or PSP color. It simply says "White is coming"


Oh, and good point here. Besides, if Sony wanted to say that "white is superior," wouldn't they have released the white PSP *first*?

[Shadowblind]

this world is full of weird ideas and unfair judgement. For all we know Sony might have just hired a black person to pose in it because of auditions. Who knows, like I stated earlier, we cannot get inside Sony's head.
Its doubtable that they did it for a racist purpose, as they know as well as us how sensitive some people are to that kinda thing.
Or they just craved attention and the only way they could get it is through infamy.
They might not even have thought about the fact some people might call it racist, as we all know how oblivious and moronic Sony can be. (hence them trying to eradicate homebrew.)

[Gizmo356]

who ever thought this was racist in the first place is racist for even thinking that

[MicroNut]

My black PSP is offended.
It says that its -not- brown...

[F9zDark]

who ever thought this was racist in the first place is racist for even thinking that

Get over that. Everyone keeps saying it. IF the person saying the ad is racist is racist themselves, why the **** would they care? Honestly think about this one.

If person A hates black people, and sees them portrayed in a seemingly negative way in the eyes of 'moral' society, why would they care? Why would a member of the KKK bring such a thing to light? Racists would applaud Sony and not give it a second thought; probably even buy the PSP after seeing that.

People saying this garbarge are just looking for a scapegoat. Something to pass the blame onto someone else.

Out of context, the ad is racist (and I can't stand when the opposite is occuring; thats why I refuse to watch black comedians, because all they do is pick on other races because its 'acceptable')

Within the context of the other ads, it doesn't seem so wrong, but this ad alone, out of its intended context seems racist.

A picture is worth a 1000 words. Regardless of what the ad actually says, people will view the image before them and will form their own opinion of it based on what they saw.

Obviously some people will take it at face value and others wont.

Seeing that the ad is in Holland, I cannot believe that members of the USA's NAACP are getting involved and I wholeheartedly believe that they should shut their holes. They have no business telling Sony how they should do business in Holland.

[Voltron]

Tthats why I refuse to watch black comedians, because all they do is pick on other races because its 'acceptable')

Yes I agree with you 100% about that. I don't watch that nonesense either. There are just as much if not more black people that look down on white people and are "racist" and when they poke fun or defame whites or other races, its "comedy". This is a big problem in the U.S.A. A lot of "minorities" take advantage of all the state/government assistance programs they can but yet still have the mindset that it is the "white man holding them down". They assume all whites and the U.S.A. in general is racist and that is the root of their misery. They have so much given to them its sickening. Inner city troublemakers get bussed into nice suburban schools to give them a better education. We have affirmative action which means even if less qualified, Blacks are picked over whites for college acceptance and jobs to create "diversity".


Seeing that the ad is in Holland, I cannot believe that members of the USA's NAACP are getting involved and I wholeheartedly believe that they should shut their holes. They have no business telling Sony how they should do business in Holland.

And I wholeheartedly agree with this also. Stupid things like this always get made into an 'issue' for no good reason.

With all that said, I know that not ALL minorities are racist towards whites but the race card is played much too many times. And this ad along with the controversy behind it, is just one example.

[mr_nick666]

Sage words Voltron and F9zDark :o Our energies could be far better spent elsewhere... :rolleyes:

[TetraGrammaTon]

Yes I agree with you 100% about that. I don't watch that nonesense either. There are just as much if not more black people that look down on white people and are "racist" and when they poke fun or defame whites or other races, its "comedy". This is a big problem in the U.S.A. A lot of "minorities" take advantage of all the state/government assistance programs they can but yet still have the mindset that it is the "white man holding them down". They assume all whites and the U.S.A. in general is racist and that is the root of their misery. They have so much given to them its sickening. Inner city troublemakers get bussed into nice suburban schools to give them a better education. We have affirmative action which means even if less qualified, Blacks are picked over whites for college acceptance and jobs to create "diversity".

don't know what USA you know of but alot of your points are completely twisted and wrong. Check your facts.