Racist Sony PSP Ad

[Alex]

So I heard a lot of buzz around these "racist" Sony PSP ads. (pandamoe's sig reminded me)



But I couldn't see why it was racist or offensive. I had to actually search for why people think it's offensive. Some people say the white person is abusing the black person. Please.

Is anybody actually offended by this, or do they just want to stir up complaints? Chuck?

Related: Loco Roco is also racist. COME ON.



(on second thought, I don't think this should be in the videogame forum, could someone move it pleease?)

[Manyak]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

I can see how people could think that it's racist.

It also doesn't look like she's abusing him, it looks more like she's saying "let's go **** in the bathroom in 5 minutes".

[Kire]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

I can't deny that those monsters are obviously blackface. Nigga stole my loco!

[Alex]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

I made a politically correct PSP ad:

[Riotsword]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

We all know how inept Sony's marketing is(like the ad that was banned by the Vatican), and apparently they either haven't learned, or just want to see how many buttons they can push. People are going to get upset and ***** regardless, but I think they're actually trying to create(more) controversy with that one.

In response to that Loco Roco article, what a crock. People need to stop being so damn sensitive. OMG it has big lips and is black, it must be racist!

[John Mora]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

Seeing some of the other pics from the ad campaign makes it clearer that they weren't trying to be racist, but to just have dichotomy between black and white. And for some people you can't do that and not be a racist.

[Riotsword]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

Not these days, not anymore.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

I'm offended by it cause it's creepy. I don't really see it as racist but it does look to me like the white woman is going to beat up the black woman. According to the articles I read they're both women, hard to tell with all the shadow over the black person. To me it looks more agressive than sexual because her other hand looks like its in that position you use to jam somebody's nasal bone into their brain in kung fu movies.

The Loco Roco thing isn't just a coincidence or oversensitivity. Japanese culture still uses the blackface image sometimes. Half the black characters in animes have that design. They incorporated it from western animation style just like the huge eyes and all that stuff. It never had the same negative context to them as it did here so they never did away with it like we did in America. It's nothing I take offense to because of the difference in cultural context but some people are too myopic to look at it that way.

[John Mora]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

The other picture is the black woman menacing the white one, so it's all good!

[Nixon]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

Yeah, just look at the changes they had to make to "Oil man" for the PSP Megaman.

As for the PSP ad... maybe the entire campaign isn't bad, but that particular image could probably be interpreted in many different ways depending on who you are. I think Chuck is right, the pose seems a little aggressive.

But, as mentioned before, they probably just want to stir up controversy at this point. Nobody really wants a white PSP, do they?

[gray]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

a white person can be aggressive tword a black person without it being racially motivated. that having been said, this ad is not racist. it's possibly sexist, but apparently nobody cares about that anymore.

[Magus]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

Whatever, the ad is dumb either way. But I take great offense to the ****** PSP commercials with the Mexican squirrels. That **** is just annoying.

I think Sony's marketing department is run by Carlos Mencia.

[DK]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

WHEN A BLACK GUY GETS PULLED OVER....

[Loki]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

You have a white woman grabbing the fact of the black guy and snarling at him. Combined with the slogan that points out that white is coming creates conitations that white is better than black. And when you're using people to symbolize the product sundenly you're saying that white people are better than black.

I can easly see how this add is offensive.

As for Loco Roco, it's obvious that the badguys look like black paint. This can also be seen as offensive. It's it malitious racism? No. It's instulationalized racism. My good friend, Mr. Parish wrote a great article on the subject.

As for Oilman, even with the changes he still was a blackface characture. The first time he did that little jive dance my eyes poped out of my head.

[marcus]

Re: Racist Sony PSP Ad

Well, being black, I don't find it particularly "racist" but I do find it rather aggressive for a marketing campaign.

Still, Japan has a history for "intolerance" as I would like to say. In the early 1900s, blackface was essentially a view to the black people for europeans and asians because they aren't often around them. Because of that, their media adapted blackface style to picture black people.


Have you guys heard of Golliwog? It's a european "gnome" with gnappy hair, big red lips, and a leisure suit (sometimes depicted with a top hat).


Look familiar? The original creator of Golliwog stated that it was a caricature based on blackface characters but even in this modern day the company still produces it despite the original claims because not enough people care to appeal to it and black people are a small minority.

Skipping to Japan:

Sony and asian countries in general have a history of controversial ads. When I was on deployment in Thailand I saw this:



Apparently it's a popular brand of toothpaste all across the eastern islands. Yea.

Now, to Sony; Does anyone remember this?





Sony's ad campaign for the 10th anniversary of ps1. The writing says "Ten years of passion." Even though I'm a Christian and don't exactly TAKE UP INTO ARMS against the ad, it is pretty offensive to the Christian ideas. Even if you don't like Christianity, you should still respect their beliefs and not DELIBERATELY belittle their own God.

Seriously, that's just major disrespect. Do you guys see ads like this:

floating around anymore?

Check out this sony ad:


It was posted next to SUBWAY STATIONS. There's probably someone out there stupid enough to actually jump down a flight of stairs.

But it's not just Sony; a lot of Japanese anime and games portray black people in the traditional blackface style.


My lips aren't that big...


This is from SQUARESOFT'S Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Yea...


Assistant Black; the ONLY black person in the original Dragon Ball universe and he does secretary work.


Was their seriously any point in even GIVING oilman lips? He could have just had a mouth and it wouldn't have even resembled blackface.


So yea, all of this stuff isn't "racism" (as racism is hatred or feeling of superiority over another race) but this is most definitely a form of intolerance. Despite my race, I hate political correctness in all forms but I personally think stereotypical "caricatures" should be reevaluated unless it has some sort of satire or comedic value. Even in America you often see in ads Hispanics being displayed as dreary eyed guys with dark tans and thick moustaches, italians are displayed as fat greasy people with slick hair, and asians are displayed as hunched over nerds with thick glasses.

Stereotypes are funny, but there is a point when enough is enough. Blackface died out 60 years ago but some countries are so far removed from America's "politically correct" stature that they don't care. I do agree that some people over react (I never even noticed the Moyja's from Loco Roco had red lips until someone pointed it out) but there are some VERY obvious uses of offensive material in today's advertisements.

Please, let's get rid of these offensive images from our openly displayed advertisements:



Because my lips are average sized, my skin is a light brown, my hair is shortcropped, and I don't like watermelon. This doesn't caricaturize me or my peers AT ALL.