Saturday, December 03, 2005
Sony Plastation Portable (PSP) TV Ads
So can I say, I hate the new PSP ad! Hate, hate, hate, hate it with a vengeance. What can I say, it bugs me. At first, I was just confounded by it. "Why would they make a commercial with people throwing the Playstation PSP away?" Why, o' why?? That just wrong. Then I realized, they were actually trying to be hip and inspiring, and failing miserably. And while, I may be sympathetic to yours or mine failings, I find myself unmoved by Sony's. Especially, since they've entered a clout deficit with the whole, rootkit fiasco.
Yes, I know I'm not really the target market for Sony's Plasystation Portable (PSP). The truth is not being a big gamer, and an avid Mac OS user, I'm more in line for the newest iPod than PSP. I think the two have seperate but overlapping markets. That said, when Los Angeles based, TBWA/Chiat/Day—well-known in the Apple aficionado community—PSP commercial came out in April or May 2005, I was enthused. The commercial was a funfilled, rolicking ride, embolden by Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out (iTunes).
Playstation PSP "Point of View (POV)" Ad
Music can break or break a commercial, and I'm a sucker for good commercial music. Franz Ferdinand rocks this PSP Point of View commercial. From the reverse (pov) view of the guy opening the box, to the guy playing on the rollercoaster, to my favorite, the guy with white, iPod like earphones banging his head to the strident guitar licks of "Take Me Out". This commercial even made me consider purchasing a PSP.
Now let's juxtapose this against the latest, not so great PSP commercial, Playstation PSP "Pass".
Playstation PSP "Pass" Ad
The commercial just doesn't portray that much excitement about the project. In fact the first few scenes are so ambivalent, that it looks like no one wants the damn PSP. Take a look. Someone gives it to the first guy, and even though he's sitting on a hill, looking kind of bored, he still throws the darn thing away, because it wasn't exciting enough.
Next we get, guys with cars, who get to see some movie with a guy on a horse. For as I can determine, that went over as well as a screening of Brokeback Mountain by the Crips.
No offense to the Crips or Brokeback Mountain. Cause I'm anxious to see Brokeback Mountain. It sounds fabulously, heart wrenching; but due to my own preconcieved notions, I can't imagine the average Crips member waiting to see Jake Gyllenhaal give Heath Ledger his soulful eyes.
Anyhow, Dude, throws the thing as far away as possible. Then Mr. "I want to be a DJ" grabs the thing, plugs it into his gear, gives a listen, and thinks, "what the f#ck!" and quote-unquote, passes it along.
Personally, my favorite scene of the commercial is at the end, when the PSP gets back to the original guy, and he has this look like, "Damn, I can't even give this thing away." Now obviously, this is not the inspiring, "come purchase me" vibe that commercials like to portray. So I say, "What the hell went wrong??"
I believe this ad is also done by TBWA/Chiat/Day. So maybe it's a bad concept, uninspiring music, or just in ineffectual director. OK for me, the fact that the music is uninspiring also takes its toll on the commercial. I'm far more forgiving with good music (also dimples, and sad eyes can sway me). What is that song anyway? And doesn't it have any good rifts they could have used in the commercial. It doesn't take much.
My summary of the two commercials is you start with the first. It has great music, cool beat, and people fighting to keep their hands on the PSP. Hell, they won't even put it down to eat or talk to their therapist. Then you get ad two, where you have a slew of people who can't wait to get rid of the thing. Here you take, no you take. "Let's try Mikey..." Well, I've included both ads for you're viewing pleasure. So why don't you decide, if Ad Two makes the grade. I say, "Bring back Franz.
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Categories: Music •Television •
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