By: steve

steve — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 16:56:21 +0000

Above is a billboard that advertises the new white colored PlayStation Portable, (PSP). Sony’s started a new advertising campaign for the new PSP color in early June and this billboard was only in Holland. At first glance one would see a white woman posing with one arm up on a black backdrop, but as one looks closer they see that she is grabbing the face of black woman. In the upper left corner of the billboard is the words, “PlayStation/ Portable/ White/ is coming.” In the bottom left corner it shows the product, PSP, and states the functions of it. And in the bottom right hand corner is the company logo, PlayStation.
The advertisement is racism to almost an exaggerated degree. This would be categorized under shock advertisement which will use any tactic possible to grab ones attention. In the media today it seems that any publicity is good publicity but this visual imagery used is offensive. The brightly white woman is what draws attention to the billboard. This woman is obviously a western model: beautiful, tall, with big hair. Her eyes are very noticeable as well because her head is tilted down and she is glaring at the other model. The white woman is grabbing the face of the black woman with her right hand while she has the left hand spread and flexed as if she was going to slap the woman she is grabbing. The black woman is much less defined; in fact her face and ear are the only visible parts of her body. She has a short afro which fades into the black background as well as her jacket, which can only be made out from some buttons which run vertically. She has a solemn face as she looks up at the woman grabbing her because she is also shorter than the white model.
Sony, which makes PlayStation, has taken a very aggressive approach to their advertising for the PSP. The main strategy of Sony is to appeal to the youth and a great example of this is their use of graffiti to advertise.
This graffiti was done in a north Philadelphia neighborhood. What concerns me is that the billboard is used to attract PSP’s target audience, young people. When Sony was asked to respond to the ad they state, “The images created for the campaign have been designed to show this contrast in colors of the Playstation Portables and have no other message or purpose.” But the way these contrasting models interacting and are depicted negate this statement. Based on the subject matter what could this appeal to other than the myth of white superiority. Sony also defends them based on the fact that there are other billboards with these models in different poses. But that does not justify the use of this racist imagery. And the average person that sees this billboard does not have the context of the other poses to ease the shock.
The text, “PlayStation/ Portable/ White/ is coming,” advertises this new product, so obviously the white model is referring to the new product and the black woman would represent the original black model. But why does the white model have to dominating the other model and why such a contrast between the women. Even if one does accept that the ad shows color contrast, the interaction between the women makes reference to a very real form of physical abuse toward black people which has occurred in history as well as reinforcing this racist view today. The text next to the models refers to the white woman and suggests that “white” has been absent. This also suggests that it is time again for white people to be overtly dominant. As if those who are “white” have given the world enough time to recuperate after slavery and colonialism and are ready to physically control again. The white woman is grabbing the black woman by the face, grabbing her mouth in particular. This type of interaction is one we would see in the slavery. By grabbing the black woman’s mouth she is preventing her from speaking.
The two women do not only have very contrasting colors but are also oriented completely different. The PSP is marketed toward young men, and in Holland this would be more specifically young caucasian males. So it is not a surprise that the white woman would be very attractive, as well as reveal a flat stomach and cleavage. The white model’s body is facing the viewer to show her off her body but her head is turned toward the black model. The white model is also wearing what could be seen as sexy but stylish clothing. In contrast the black model is shown in profile as almost this androgynous being. The issue is pushed further by stripping all of her clothes away because it takes away our ability to judge time period which gives a timeless quality to the face. The other stark contrast is that of the hands. The white woman’s hands are flexed and ready to strike while again the black woman’s hands are removed making her unable to defend herself, as if her hands were restrained. The white model also has a bare left hand but the right hand, which she is grabbing with, is wearing a glove almost to suggest that the individual she is grabbing is unclean.
From a distance the color contrast is the focus of the ad, but if one gets close enough to see the black woman as well, the two women instantly become the focus; the color contrast only helps the distinction. If the same action was taking place but the women had an equal physical presents the ad would still be degrading. But the attention to detail is what makes this ad so distressing. Because of the formal decisions the advertisers have made, they must have wanted the ad to be racially motivated. The physical domination depicted on the billboard naturalizes this myth of white superiority.

Comments on: Sony apologize for ‘racist’ Playstation Portable advertisement

By: steve