Erwin Rommel, Joan of Arc resurrected by PlayStation 3.
(click ads) Update: scam ads? See comment emailed by president of BBDO Chile.
When advertising PS3, Sony has shown that they're willing to (sorry, awful ad cliche imminent) push the creative envelope worldwide (see boy with thumb penis via Austria). Here, via BBDO in Chile, we have gameboys giving a blood transfusion to "The Desert Fox," Germany's WWII Afrikakorps general, and a heart transplant to the teenage French Catholic saint. Are Erwin and Joan big folk heroes in Chile? While I probably could have guessed the ID of these historical figures (especially Rommel, note the Swastikas on the bed frame), I only know for sure because of the press note attached to the ads (images via: adme.ru). related: Hitler in advertising.
posted by copyranter @ 10:30 AM
21 Comments:
poor joan of arc only has one boob
Someone once told me the consumer only really divides into two generational segments, post and pre Nintendo, I guess I am very pre Nintendo.
who was the photographer?
I found the name: Eugenio Recuenco.
I was talking with my Wife about this and she was a little perplexed by the whole thing. I said that while I'm no advertising wiz, I don't need to be to realize that somewhere in Sony some one was either totally asleep or plain nutters.
In my opinion, there are a couple of things that no company wants to do when trying to get people to want to buy their product/services.
1. Utilize sexual assault to sell product.
2. Utilize anything that relates potentially favorably to the Nazis.
I thought that those two would be completely off the table but apparently someone at Sony thinks differently.
The Joan of Ark thing seems strange as well, though I can't really see it being offensive per se. I certainly don't get it however.
End rant.
Konrad
How does one try to explain these warped concepts...
...I'm guessing most of these creative AD types make it a habit to have a pad and pen on their night stands so when they're suddenly awakened from their nightmarish visions they can then record to tap into later.
As a Chilean I want to clarify that here no Nazi is anywhere near being a hero.
I actually understood the add with the man with a thumb for a penis. Yes, terrifying, I know. Still, I'm mostly baffled by these two. The Joan of Arc one either represents literally a)giving your heart to Joan of Arc or b)reanimating an interesting time in history. The Nazi guy with the blood? Blood doesn't have any alternate meaning that fits the bill (like a heart does). I have no idea where that one was going.
I really relate to this campaign because when I play Beatles Rock Band, I really do feel as though I'm donating plasma to George Harrison.
I guess the idea is the player gives life to the character, resurrects them so to speak. The underlying weakness is the execution is very static, but games are all about action.
@J
Aye -- that's Argentina, right?
Cappy: and Brazil?
lol'd at Pot Thought
Anyway, I think I get what Sony is saying; they want people to "revive" the PS3, which should have never died in the first place.
Joan of Arc and Rommel were both great generals of their time, no matter who or what they were fighting for. As a gamer, you can help bring the PS3 (another great "general") back to life if you were to "donate" to (or buy) a PS3.
I like the idea, but very poor execution.
"Bring historical characters back to life" I think it's what went through their minds. Somehow that idea became completely warped and resulted into this, ads that don't illustrate what the PS3 is about and how fun it is. It obviates all the media capabilities and new lowered price, to instead chase controversy.
Not surprising, these kind of decisions are what took Sony from being THE console, to a laughable underutilized underdog.
I was really upset by this ad, for to me, it was somehow advocating the Nazi cause, which is simply indeniably the worst of the worst in History and Humanity. However, now I want to thank "That Thing said" because I didn't know of Erwin Rommel and after a quick look on wikipedia, he was one of the few exceptions at that time. Now from what I can see, he was different in a good way. Now that has a complete different meaning to the ad itself and I think you're right. Revive characters no matter who you are, I mean come on, even I have enjoyed playing nazis against soviets in Call of Duty 5 WoW, you don't realize it but you are a nazi in the game (or a soviet, but whatever) so I think that's one of the meanings. but still, a little bit of knowledge if required and I wouldnt be surprised if those guys at the Ad department werent a bit ... "stuffed" in the nose, if you know what I mean
more like Uruguay and Argentina...
That's were most of the Nazis went after WWII.
"As a Chilean I want to clarify that here no Nazi is anywhere near being a hero."
Very fair point. Pinochet was just Nazi-lite.
This creative design did not involve and was never approved by Sony Computer Entertainment or Sony. This "mock campaign" was developed by BBDO Chile staff and was submitted to various creative competitions/festivals without prior notification or approval from SCE/Sony, and it is not representative of the views or advertising policies of SCE/Sony. BBDO Chile apologizes for using this creative concept without authorization or prior approval, and for its misrepresentation of the PlayStation brand and its values.
Cristián Lehuedé B.
Presidente Ejecutivo
BBDO Chile
Can't honestly see the problem. Seriously. It doesn't make me want to buy a Playstation, but then I don't want one to begin with.
It does however make me go "that's neat".
To live in a world where bland advertising is banned.
I can't figure out what the women in the Joan d'arc is staring at out of frame and why the women in the Rommel one looks so creepily at the guy giving the blood. Really makes no sense.
Well, its debatable whether or not Rommel was even a Nazi....
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