'Violent' PlayStation 3 internet ad banned in UK
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Aug 8th 2007 at 10:00AM }
The Advertising Standards Authority has deemed fit to assassinate a UK PlayStation 3 advert believed to "glamorise violence or anti-social behaviour." Life Style Extra reports that the internet ad, depicting a gun-toting man called Kovac (seen in a different video to the right), drew 23 complaints after featuring on Yahoo and BT websites. The combination of the disgruntled fellow and the on-screen text, "You on my side? listen up I've killed for less. The music plays Puccini in my head," prompted the commercial watchdog to ban the ad for its "underlying tone of violence." While both the ad makers and Yahoo insisted that Mr. Kovac was placed behind a registration process and was only meant to mingle with adults, the ASA was firm in its concern that "the images of Kovac holding the knife and the gun, in conjunction with the text" would give impressionable youths all sorts of dubious ideas (none related to purchasing a PS3). Heaven forbid they end up in a dimly lit apartment and lying in a bathtub, muttering about the tiresome banalities of life.
[Via MCV]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
vidGuy @ Aug 8th 2007 10:07AM
It wasn't banned, it was just rated AO for Awesomely Offensive (and bad).
bak8807 @ Aug 8th 2007 11:15AM
I don't remember the last time I saw a GOOD Sony ad. They're all pretentious.
lucky644 @ Aug 8th 2007 10:13AM
Why do people use 'banned' all the time?
vidGuy @ Aug 8th 2007 10:36AM
Why not?
http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ban
Although now that I think about it, we used to use 'band' on the guitar.com message boards...
Donald @ Aug 8th 2007 4:23PM
I prefer b& myself.
Crono @ Aug 8th 2007 10:24AM
I guess in the UK, you're not even allowed to THINK about violence, and any media that could cause you to think about violence has been banned.
Anybody ever seen equilibrium?
GRANTED @ Aug 8th 2007 10:36AM
worst movie ever. talk about mindless...
at least its a lot tougher to get a gun in the UK.
sicsided @ Aug 8th 2007 10:40AM
AWESOME MOVIE! C-BALE FTW!!!
Intentless @ Aug 8th 2007 11:06AM
Equilibrium was a classic.
Grant @ Aug 8th 2007 10:30AM
Damn you Ministry of youth safety!!!
WiNG @ Aug 8th 2007 10:38AM
man the UK is pansy as hell
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 8th 2007 11:03AM
They might just be a bunch of spastics.
Vince UK @ Aug 8th 2007 12:32PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNuRQmvykwk
Avatar @ Aug 8th 2007 3:56PM
That video was based off an episode of Spaced.
Sir_Mal @ Aug 8th 2007 10:42AM
wait... what? What does any of that even mean past "you can't show this"
James @ Aug 8th 2007 10:42AM
I'm glad it's banned just because it was a crap advert that had little to no relevance on the product it was selling. Hopefully this will get Sony to make actual PS3 adverts now.
Crono @ Aug 8th 2007 10:55AM
So, by your logic, any add that doesn't make any sense to YOU should be banned.
PhoenixSS @ Aug 9th 2007 8:21AM
Well, I must admit I sure don't feel like buying a PS3. I kinda' want to go watch a movie now. Damn this whole "work" thing.
moominsean @ Aug 8th 2007 11:25AM
fascists.
mr nimblewick @ Aug 8th 2007 11:32AM
Are you sure that word means what you think it means? Cause I don't think it means what you think it means.
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 8th 2007 11:42AM
Inconceivable!
Word of the street. @ Aug 8th 2007 11:30AM
I dont know what so offensive,IMO the crazy guy in a bathtub makes a point yet what it has to do with the PS3?,What the PS3 suppose to give a meaning to your life or something?,by the same logic playing videogames is a waste as well.
Well at least it isnt as bad as the PSP pseudo racist ads...
Sony should hire Sega marketing department those guys were good.
Genesis Does what Nintendont.
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 8th 2007 11:42AM
Blast Processing!
Segata Shinsuro!
aristokrat @ Aug 8th 2007 11:51AM
I think anybody who would have watched all the way to the end would be old enough to see a crazy man holding a gun and realize what's going on. I can't imagine a kid sitting through an old dude ranting about the short-comings of modern culture for 2 minutes.
Though, I didn't see any of the subtitles that were mentioned in the article. What's up with that? Are they subliminal or something?
It'd be even better if they were superliminal. "Hey you, join the navy!"
ForceUnleashed @ Aug 8th 2007 11:52AM
Oh sony...you keep digging yourselves deeper...
frozengod @ Aug 8th 2007 11:53AM
Those playstation ads are gradually entrenching themselves with the brand so, sometime in the future, we will be able to have the following conversation with a clueless friend after watching one of those:
(clueless friend): What was that nonsense about? (i.e. WTF???)
(you): Oh boy! That sure makes me want to buy a PlayStation!
REUYL @ Aug 8th 2007 1:09PM
That was about the PS3? It didn't even make a bit of sense for ANY product.
Thatoneguy64 @ Aug 8th 2007 1:41PM
I half expected the end to go to the PS3 logo and be like "PlayStation 3; Better than Chocolate"
RRT @ Aug 8th 2007 2:00PM
I don't get the commercial. The ad should be banned not for its underlying tones of violence, but because it fails at making a point.
So what am I buying here? Chocolate?
Rare Hare @ Aug 8th 2007 3:08PM
OK, I think it was a cool video. It could even be a cool ad. HOWEVER, I still don't understand how the consumer is supposed to make the connection between this add and the PS3.
Weird.
Mr Khan @ Aug 8th 2007 4:17PM
I believe i shall quote the protagonist of Pokemon Red and Blue
"...
..."
Donald @ Aug 8th 2007 4:33PM
There are not enough "..." to express my "..." at that ad.
Matt B @ Aug 8th 2007 5:04PM
To me, it just shows that each character likes different things. The bubbley girl would be your casual gamer, the guy watching soccer is into sports, the guy with the gun likes shooters. It's an odd representation for sure.
JKPierce @ Aug 8th 2007 8:51PM
Damn it. Stop posting with your logic and interpretation. I'm reading godless fanboys' comments, such as, "Oh sony...you keep digging yourselves deeper..." and you come in with space-wasting, topic-related discussions.