Sony pulls controversial PSP ads
Straight from Joystiq: “Depicting a white woman grappling with a black woman, a recent series of Sony PSP ads in the Netherlands have caused many to engage in some grappling of their own, mostly with issues and allegations of racism. After defending the images and claiming that they had “no other message or purpose” besides flaunting the white PSP, Sony has now confirmed that they have yanked the ads and banished them to a mysterious marketing misfire graveyard.”
It causes a consumer to wonder whether Sony was just trying to cross the edge into the world of “edgy marketing” or whether they knew that the controversial ad would get them media publicity. As I work in the world of consumer entertainment marketing for a television network, sometimes that line seems ideal to walk…however, it’s when a marketer crosses the line that they have to consider the implications their marketing will have not only on consumers, but also how it will affect the human race’s view of what is acceptable in media and what is now. And I suppose that begs the bigger question: how much influence does our media have on our perceptions and vice versa?
I blogged about these same ads recently at http://whatwomenreallythink.blogspot.com if anyone cares to read other people’s comments.
Lori
July 25, 2006 at 1:59 pm