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152 Comments
- Charlotte_Web, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7If you owned some run-down building, and a marketing rep from Sony approached you and offered you $3000 for permission to spray paint a few tasteful images promoting their product, would you take it? It doesn't hurt anybody, and is acutally attractive to look at.
Just to play "devil's advocate" here, how do we know Sony didn't have explicit permission to do what they did? Have any property owners actually complained? Hell, if I found out a mega-corp like Sony was involved in "vandalism" of a property of mine, you better believe I'd get some lawyers involved and there would be publicity surrounding it.
If Sony had permission to spray paint those images (and it remains to be seen yet if they did), then what the "critics" did with the red paint was reprehensible.
Remeber, Sony has done grafitti marketing before... it was showcased on The Apprentice, and they definitely had permission to do it. - lollerskates, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Not at all. Graffiti in places like Scandinavia and Europe or even Canada is quite good, and most definitely artistic. It's the medium that's a problem; even if Michaelangelo or DaVinci were to paint a masterpiece on your house, it would still be illegal.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7my boycott still marches on
- distrbnce, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3isn't -caught- the wrong word? After all they were doing it for the sole purpose of getting attention.
I think the headline should be "Sony succeeds at advertising, participate after the jump" - isny, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Sony had better pay to clean up this vandalism.
- isny, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2By the way, didn't IBM try this with a Linux promo in NYC and end up having to clean up the mess, even though it was done with chalk?
- chriskzoo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Oh no! Sony is encroaching on real street vandals! OMG!
- oxford, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Caught the dig posting first thing this morning. Just caught sight of IDENTICAL graffiti on my way into work here in Atlanta. So - this is not Sony paying existing graffiti artists to promote the PSP, this is Sony producing a STENCIL of some sort and paying people to use it. Why is this not aiding and abetting vandalism?
- oepapel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2What's the difference between putting up a billboard and advertising on that surface versus graffiti? The quality can be just as good. They can both be done legally. Is it better if they covered the wall with a billboard first? People really need to stop splitting hairs.
Sony is a bucket of douche water but that doesn't mean that everything they do is wrong. Sony is a part of culture and has just as much right to graffiti as the punk kid with some cans of paint and a lot of free time on his hands. Graffiti isn't anyone's inalienable right. And if you think that Graffiti art is somehow more honest than any other art form then you need to seek help. - sohlemac, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I've yet to see evidence that Sony actually paid for these. I mean, it could be some graffiti artist flexing an ironic muscle. Or someone with an anti-Sony bent trying to make them look bad.
- skartel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Sony will not learn
First a damn Windows Rootkit
And now Graffiti - Clp727, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Since the RootKit, I will never buy another Sony product...EVER. This is just another reason to support my decision.
- pirateboy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2haha that one psp says FONY
- oepapel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Tell that to the 60yr old retired guy that spent thousands to make a very good looking wall in his front yard, only to have it repeatedly vandalized by asswipes that call writing thier name and drawing penises on his wall art."
Stop being such a reactionist. Sony PAID the 60 year old retired guy so that he could sit on his front porch and complain instead of getting a blue smock and becoming a greeter at walmart. If they didn't, he'd own their ass. It's just advertising. Sony has never been shy about buying ads. This is just another ad space. You don't hear any property owners up in arms over this do you?
There's no difference between Sony buying billboard space or buying graffiti wall space. One is not better or worse. It's just another way to move product. - Dayyve, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@socre
Believe me my friend, I have no wish to impress an idiot that can't make a post without flaming. Say something that means something or go back to masturbating to your PSP. Only a goof could stick up for a company such as Sony OR Sony BMG. - Dayyve, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The cool thing about this is that it will also be dealt with on the street level. 'Real' writers (they don't want to be known as taggers, I know from being one about 15 years ago) will not respect the whole corporate attitude from whence it sprang. It's completely against their ideology and bombs and pieces (slang for elaborate multi-color artwork) will surely pop up over them in due time. The only problem is the cold weather in places like NY and here in Chicago when writers tend to hibernate. Plus it gets too cold for spray paint to work properly.
On another note, WTF is wrong with Sony? They can't do ANYTHING right and this has been going on for about a decade now, only the increased use of the net has spread the info around to a much greater number of peeps. Please don't buy their *****, whether it's Sony or Sony BMG they've had their run and now it's time for companies with real innovation and vision take their spot. - Spartacus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Did anyone else look at this and think of Jet Set Radio Future?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Let us graffiti the DS all over sony headquarters!
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1http://secondaryscreening.net/static/pics/november05%20030.jpg
I'm having a hard time believing that little paragraph isn't photoshopped on there. It just doesn't look right, after starring at it for a few minutes.
No else has mentioned anything so maybe i just need to get my eyes checked? - jadeonly, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1In Apprentice it was a mural on a space they paid for. In other words, a regular, legal billboard ad done in graffiti style. This looks like the regular, illegal vandalism type graffiti. IMHO both ads are equally lame.
- sooperdooper, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@odweaver (Graphitti on your own property == art
Graphitti on someonelses propert == asshattedness vandalism)
So the legality of something determines its artistic worth now? If I spraypainted (or however) the Mona Lisa on the side of a derelict railroad car, I'd be an "asshatted vandal," but if I smeared paint at random on my own canvas (or car), I'd be an "artist"?
Does the law really determine your system of ethics, people? Come on, now. - noodhoog, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Unhappy with the way Sony treats it's consumers like complete retards?
Boycott Sony this Christmas:
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/11/30/no_xmas_for_sony_pro.html
Dep01: The reason people come down on this is because it's retarded. It's appropriating graffiti culture which is typical very much the opposite of marketing and corporate culture, for purposes of selling their product. At the very least it's simply pathetic - like watching a middle aged anti-drugs spokesman try to "connect with the kids" by delivering his message via the medium of rap... and at worst, it's highly offensive to those who actually have some kind of personal investment in the culture which is being abused. - UGM2099, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1MUSIC OFFICE LOCATED IN MANHATTAN
Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
550 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10022-3211 - UGM2099, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"i say we vandalize their buildings."
great idea!
CORPORATE OFFICES
Sony Computer Entertainment America
PO Box 5888
San Mateo, CA 94402-0888
HUMAN RESOURCES
Sony Computer Entertainment America
Human Resources
919 East Hillsdale Boulevard, 2nd Floor
Foster City, CA 94404 - cypher35, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1They may not have the best hardware nowdays, but Nintendo is now the only game company i still have respect for...
- jimmyM, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0i am not sure i understand why anyone cares? is sony violating the sanctitity of precious vandalism? you are used to oobeying the vandals, but you got tricked and now own a psp? grafitti doesnt make me mad, so why should grafitti painted by sony? are they not allowed the same freedom of expression that vandals are? are they putting a gun to your head and making you buy sony products? are you affected even slightly?
- EliGottlieb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0This is some real "Jennifer Government" style *****.
Good thing I'm never buying anything Sony. - dkmccue, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Hmmm...
First Celine "Chicken Woman" Dion, then DRM's, now graffiti.
Sony's Spiral of Death continues to accelerate.
Hope none of you have stock! - jimmyM, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"Does the law really determine your system of ethics, people? Come on, now."
it isnt necessarily the law, maybe people respect property that isnt theirs, independent of the law. - jimmyM, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0if urban street trash can paint nonsense everywhere, why not sony?
- NastyButler, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I loved sony (I'm talking bout the PS 1 and 2), I even went out and bought the PSP because I believed in them and wanted to support them. But now with everything thats been happening I'm ashamed. I hope they really get their act together and stop pulling this kind of malarkey :(
- Crazy_8, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0haha, this is just funny....every two week Sony screws up again. XD
I still have a recording of the XCP mess from off TV on my computer, and it was only about 2 or 3 weeks ago. - ek3s, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0***** you
love, ekes - djctown, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0most of the ones I have seen in Hollywood (Selma & Ivar) looked like wheat pasted posters and the placement of them, looked like ads in the first place.
- Mist0r_Wiggles, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0***** sony!!!
- dep01, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I don't see why everyone is coming down on Sony for this ad campaign. It's just another way to market a product. Using graffiti artists to market it's actually a pretty decent idea, in lieu of hanging posters all over the city. I think it's kinda cool. It's not "disrespecting" anyone. Who does it harm? Give Sony their right to freedom of speech, just like the rest of us. At least companies are coming up with creative ways to market products instead of just jamming it down our throat.
- oepapel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"Graffiti is vandalism which is illegal. I'd doubt that Sony is that stupid enough to commit a criminal act. Then again they have done some really stupid things in the past ..."
That's not only simplistic, it's wrong too! You can commission someone to graffiti a wall that you own and it's perfectly legal. You can also sell the wall space as ad space and allow someone else to place their ad there, also using graffiti. It's no different than putting up a billboard. As long as all parties are happy it's not a crime. The term graffiti describes the style of art, not a criminal act.
For the record, the famous Da Vinci painting of the last supper was painted as a commissioned work on the wall of a restaurant/cafeteria.
This is not exactly a new idea. - chembro84, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I've said this before on Digg, and I doubt anyone cares but.........
I actually saw somebody painting these PSP 'ads', it was by Amoeba in San Francisco (up on Haight) and I was thinking "Is he really spray painting a PSP onto the wall" he was also doing it in the middle of the day so I doubt he didn't get permission to do it, it was just too obvious. - lollerskates, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Anyone remember how Sony gave out acid blotter papers at raves with the PSOne logo on them? Sure, they didn't have the acid on it, but it was still pretty damn tasteless advertising.
- shiftless, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0If they did it with permission, that's cool and pretty common.
If they're just putting these ads up wherever they please, that's vandalism. - lazyguy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"like watching a middle aged anti-drugs spokesman try to "connect with the kids" by delivering his message via the medium of rap... and at worst, it's highly offensive to those who actually have some kind of personal investment in the culture which is being abused."
Exactly the way I feel. By the way, Sony is king of stupid advertising. Look at the crap they pulled with the ads in Italy. (http://www.livejournal.com/users/gamepolitics/103677.html?thread=2636029) Mocking religon... smart. - recover82, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0they act like teabagging a mime is a bad thing?? hmm.
- mikeazorin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0i live in nyc, and i see these things posted up across from real psp ads. i see them and i laugh because the graf posters show kids gettin brainwashed by psps.
- MasterDwarf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Public awareness will be the best weapon. Everyone is doing a good job here on digg but everyone that has a blog should put this crap on it. Just spread the word and sony will get hit where it counts. Dont think its a big deal if a company loses a few bucks? There have been plenty of big companies going bankrupt so dont think its always mom & pop losing their business. Sony should pay for all the crap they're pulling and spreading the word will help. I guarantee it.
- dolby, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Anybody in the NYC, there PSP add is at the A train 14 st station, on 8 Ave and 14 St, next to the park across from 111 8th Ave.
- nocre, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1The mass majority of people are full of *****. Sony obviously paid these people. These aren't the property owners getting up in arms, it's the so-called 'real' graffiti artists (or writers according to the guy wanting to impress us with his extensive jargon) who apparently can only splatter red paint or draw drugs (extremely original there) on the damn thing whom are getting all pissy about it. Stop screaming that Sony is sinking low because it's *****. Rootkits were bad move; not the same people. They make good products and have some really good advertisements. God forbid they use some cheesy tactic at putting their ad out. It obviously worked.
You're all ranting about it regardless of whether or not you agree with or like it. - 0001, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0phreshness, I thoguht the same exact thing.
- Wamzlee, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0wow, they did a good job of altering them...well done...major props. NOT
- Dennis, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0haha, You call that real graffiti artists? There is red spashes and words.
Anyway, Sony sucks, go real graffiti people. - craigtheguru, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Knowing the back story for how they came up with the logos for the Walk of Game at SF's Metreon, these latest behaviors don't surprise me at all.
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