New PSP adverts on the London tube
OK, help. I don't get it:
It feels a bit .. well, sexist and even racist to me, but I'm sure I'll be accused of overreacting or something. But really. What the hell does this advert mean!?
UPDATE 1: The camera icon is the clue. Sony is saying that PSP-owners have white girlfriends who do amateur pics? Wow.
UPDATE 2: Kotaku also picking up on this, also puzzled.
UPDATE 3: Suggestion to Sony: "your partner's naughty bits" would cover off everyone's skin colour, sexual preference, gender and even laywers. It doesn't take much thought to be inclusive, but it does take a bit of care.
It means the PSP still doesn't have any good games to talk about :(
...not till Loco Roco anyway.
Posted by: Sifter | February 28, 2006 at 11:03
The whole PSP marketing campaign is based on the UI Icons (you know, the ones that your sis put into that video ;) ).
It's a wee bit obscure, but means they can produce quite a large number of "different" adverts, each focussing on the different functions of the PSP..
Though this one does imply that all PSP owners have racy pictures of their girlfriends on their memory sticks.. I'm guessing that you don't have A-T? ;)
Posted by: Shard | February 28, 2006 at 11:10
crazy british! and your crazy language!
Posted by: bigwig | February 28, 2006 at 11:11
OH! I *get* it. The camera icon. So boys can carry around nudie pix of their girlfriends, who all have pale skin and tan lines.
OK.
FRACKING OBSCURE, man. This is not marketing to the masses! :)
Grr. Grr. Grr.
Posted by: Alice | February 28, 2006 at 11:13
How absolutely crap.
Posted by: Jen | February 28, 2006 at 11:17
I saw this on the tube on Saturday too, and didn't understand it either. You beat me to it Alice!
Posted by: Jez | February 28, 2006 at 11:35
Oh yeah, the other advert I saw was about a football game. Way to get the female audience in there!
Posted by: Jez | February 28, 2006 at 11:36
girls dont play games, dont be silly!
Posted by: will | February 28, 2006 at 11:50
Well it's got you talking/thinking about the PSP. Somewhere, an advertising bod has a rye smile :-)
Posted by: BigC | February 28, 2006 at 11:56
There's that other one (that probably has the camera icon on it as well - that'd make sense) which goes a bit like "VIEW NO WAY DELETE VIEW OH MY GOD DELETE VIEW COOL VIEW NO WAY DELETE VIEW NO WAY DELETE VIEW OH WOW DELETE VIEW"
... which took me the better part of half a day to figure out.
So not impressed. Or understanding.
Posted by: Dan Hon | February 28, 2006 at 13:28
However, the thing with Tube adverts is that they stay there for a month at a time, and you're stuck staring at the same ones each and every morning. So much so that they bleed into your unconsciousness and eventually you gain some form of understanding, even if it's not the correct one!
Posted by: Shard | February 28, 2006 at 13:40
Pain :)
Posted by: Alice | February 28, 2006 at 14:33
Could it be a build up to the release of the white PSP?
Posted by: Jeremy | February 28, 2006 at 14:36
Maybe, but that's not what white bits are referring to. That's WAY too deep.
Nope, I think this is just games marketing at its most simplistic: appeal to the 16-24 year old male because That's Who We Know.
Snore.
Posted by: Alice | February 28, 2006 at 14:46
Or it could be suggesting you get your girlfriend naked, and press her up against the poster.
: )
Posted by: WandringSoul | February 28, 2006 at 14:50
*vote*
Posted by: Shard | February 28, 2006 at 15:05
Wow Sonys ads sure do suck unless your a 14 year old boy I guess :( Silly adverts though, We want to see games, not stuff my phone can do.
Posted by: angel | February 28, 2006 at 15:45
There should be an ad right next to it that says:
You boyfriend's giblets here for posting your white bits.
Posted by: Beckie | February 28, 2006 at 15:51
"your partners naughty bits" Ick. Sorry - have to agree to disagree here. Yes - the term 'white' could be seen as racially offensive, but isn't it more a statement about the sad facts of modern life that people will instantly cry 'OMG it's racist' rather than taking it at face value?
I'd also guess that the percentage of male PSP owners with risque photos of their girlfriends outweighs by a solar ton the amount of girlfriends with risque pics of their bf on them... and hence the ad accurately targets the demographic most likely to associate and respond. I'm afraid I for one am a bit tired of lowest-common-denominator TV/radio/press/ads - let's have a bit of edge. If people don't 'get it' - they'll talk about it - as this post demonstrates - I think it's a perfect ad - perfect in that it does exactly what it set out to do.
Posted by: WandringSoul | February 28, 2006 at 16:08
Is the reason I don't get this because I'm American? I feel ooooooold! Make it stop, PSP, please!
Posted by: Guilded Lily | February 28, 2006 at 16:10
who cares? PSP's are over-rated
Posted by: Citygent | February 28, 2006 at 16:39
Gotta disagree, W_S :)
From my standpoint, it's just plain sad. Makes me think of 'Nuts' magazine. It makes SOME business sense - if Nuts readers are your target and only market - but it sure as hell doesn't *expand* the market, which is what the industry needs if it wants to continue to grow.
Or - take that ad and put it in Nuts magazine. Perfect. But for a tube station? Not good enough.
Posted by: Alice | February 28, 2006 at 17:24
"which is what the industry needs if it wants to continue to grow"
But, to play Devil's Advocate, it's not as if these ads are going to cause the industry to shrink and die, is it?
Posted by: Paul O | February 28, 2006 at 17:57
I understood the ad straight away.
Clearly I am the target audience.
Oh dear.
Posted by: Jonathan | February 28, 2006 at 18:01
I thought "white bits" meant underwear, not skin.
Posted by: Skorpion | February 28, 2006 at 19:10