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We reported earlier , that Sony was taking heat over a recent advertising campaign that was deemed racist by some protesters. After pressure from some groups including the NAACP, Sony has decided to pull the ads, issuing the following statement:
“Whilst the images used in the campaign were intended solely to highlight the contrast between the different colors available for the PSP, we recognize that the subject matter of one specific image may have caused concern in some countries not directly affected by the advertising. As a result, we have now withdrawn the campaign.
We further recognize that people have a wide variety of perceptions about such imagery and we wish to apologize to those who perceived the advert differently to that intended. In future, we will apply greater sensitivity in our selection of campaign imagery, and will take due account of the increasingly global reach of such local adverts, and their potential impact on other countries.”
Note that Sony seems to be apologizing to the outspoken groups in the US, since no other country complained about the advertisements. In fact, in the Netherlands, where the ad was run, only one complaint was documented.
“Their attempt to contrast colors clearly created controversy and sparked painful feelings in the global community,” Rick Callender, President of the San Jose/ Silicon Valley NAACP, responded. “Hopefully in the future, Sony will employ a better litmus test to their ad campaigns to determine if they will be sour to the taste of worldwide consumers.”
“I am pleased to see Sony taking responsibility for their racially charged ad and appropriately pulling it from the marketplace,” commented Leland Yee, a California assemblyman. “Sony did the right thing by recognizing their insensitive mistake and apologizing for offending many of their consumers.”