Sony edits PS3 ad due to backlash from Nigerian government
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Sep 11th 2009 at 8:00PM } 
We thought that everyone enjoyed the first few television spots for Sony's new "It Only Does Everything" ad campaign -- but apparently, the Nigerian Federal Government was none too pleased with the commercial's jab at internet fraud. For those who missed the commercial, the offending line was, "You can't believe everything you read on the internet. Otherwise, I'd be a Nigerian millionaire by now." In response, government officials in Nigeria demanded an apology from Sony, as well as the immediate removal of the commercial.
Sony was quick to issue just such an apology, and has since replaced the original ad with a new version that swaps out the incredulous statement with a less controversial one: "That's how World War I got started." We can't wait to see the next edit once the three surviving WWI veterans start raising a stink.
[Via MaxConsole]
Sony was quick to issue just such an apology, and has since replaced the original ad with a new version that swaps out the incredulous statement with a less controversial one: "That's how World War I got started." We can't wait to see the next edit once the three surviving WWI veterans start raising a stink.
[Via MaxConsole]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
[ArchiGamer] @ Sep 11th 2009 8:04PM
You just can't make things like this up.
It's just too stupid.
PN04 @ Sep 11th 2009 8:37PM
You know the weird thing is they mus have had that second version running at the same time because I remember seeing both of them like 2 weeks ago... either that or this story is incredibly old.
Filthy Assistant @ Sep 12th 2009 2:15AM
The thing is, I think the World War I line is actually much funnier.
Fane [A-MF Brigade] @ Sep 15th 2009 5:44AM
I just saw the "Nigerian" version on an episode of South Park. I guess they haven't canned it entirely.
nriveraexpress @ Sep 11th 2009 8:05PM
lmao! thats funna as hell! but for real those nigerian emails are 4 reall and they will rob you
MystileArmor @ Sep 11th 2009 8:08PM
DEEYZ R 4 REELZ? WHO WUD UF FOUGHT DAT YO?
[ArchiGamer] @ Sep 11th 2009 8:09PM
Please tell me that either that's a joke and me and Mystile are blind to eat or you just blown my mind away!!
[ArchiGamer] @ Sep 11th 2009 8:10PM
*see it
I'm hungry....
nriveraexpress @ Sep 11th 2009 8:11PM
now thats just childish
Cheesus(Crust) @ Sep 11th 2009 8:11PM
"but for real those nigerian emails are 4 reall"
REALLY!!!???
Sly Cooper, Attorney at Law @ Sep 11th 2009 8:16PM
http://knowyourmeme.com/i/2103/original/1156827067095.jpg?1241726031
DEEZNUTZ @ Sep 11th 2009 8:05PM
But... it's true.
Anyway, why would Sony apologize? They must have sold like 8 PS3's in Nigeria over the past 3 yrs, all of them to Nigerian scammers. Hardly a market to worry about offending.
Don Rajon @ Sep 11th 2009 9:20PM
Its way too easy to just group all African countries into one, but if you were less ignorant you would be informed that apart from south Africa, Nigeria is the largest market sony has in Africa. They sold Millions of PS1 and PS2 and the PS3 is approaching a significant amout. How do I know, because i come from there. Don't let the images on TV fool you into believing we have no bargaining power commercially. We have one of the strongest economies in Africa, and though we mismanage we are not entirely without gumption
JetPogi @ Sep 11th 2009 11:56PM
also Sony produces other electronic products not just ps3 so...
DEEZNUTZ @ Sep 12th 2009 12:09AM
Sooooo when are you two going to ask me for my bank account?
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Successfully baited two Nigerian Scammers.
Jamesology @ Sep 12th 2009 4:25AM
@ DEEZNUTZ
LMAO....
makimak22 @ Sep 12th 2009 5:09AM
Next thing you know, they will protest to Disney about the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. Piracy is no game, it's serious business to them:D
Spartan [Planeteer | Power of Sunshine & Lollipops] @ Sep 12th 2009 5:53AM
come to think of it, the vast majority if nigerian people ive ever met
had serious moral shortfalls and/or were doing illegal things.
just saying.
Monte @ Sep 12th 2009 9:57AM
I cant believe people are upvoting this guy... what a douchebag...
Imran @ Sep 12th 2009 6:37PM
@deeznutz, makimak, spartan
Watch all the AMERICAN ignorance run rampant... Yes, you know all about everything in the world, every country but you don't even know your own history. Its referred to as imperial arrogance and/or American exceptionalism.
@makimak22
More stupidity. The piracy that you refer to is Somalia, NOT Nigeria. So, are you in the Sarah Palin camp? "The nation of Africa." btw You know nothing about the piracy and the role Western companies/nations have played in creating it.
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/4/14/analysis_somalia_piracy_began_in_response
Jae @ Sep 13th 2009 1:13PM
@Imran
Dude instead of ranting about american imperialism, go fix your country. I have been to Nigeria, it is not a nice place. The people are kind and intelligent, but the economy is built upon scamming other countries citizens out of money. South Africans and the people of neighbouring Benin know of these scams all too well so, speaking from the standpoint of boots on the ground take a look in a book.
I could go on for hours about the Problems in America, but Nigeria has so much rampant corruption that would be impossible to scratch the surface in a decade.
njababe @ Sep 29th 2009 7:49AM
idiot,if they've only sold 8 PS3s in the last 3years then why have they sucked their balls up into their abdominal cavity and not only changed the ad in record time but also issued an apology? because they cant afford tolose their nigerian revenue. do a little research and find out how much sony makes in nigeria before displayn ur ignorance.as we would refer to someone like you in my country.... imbessile.
njababe @ Sep 29th 2009 7:52AM
idiot,if they've only sold 8 PS3s in the last 3years then why have
they sucked their balls up into their abdominal cavity and not only
changed the ad in record time but also issued an apology? because
they cant afford to lose their nigerian revenue. do a little research
and find out how much sony makes in nigeria before displayn ur
ignorance.....as we would refer to someone like you in my country....
imbessile.
whookid @ Sep 11th 2009 8:06PM
Maybe Nigeria should start by hiring some police... Or stopping all the scammers... Or just stop F******* EMAILING ME!!!
Cheesus(Crust) @ Sep 11th 2009 8:12PM
Or you could gmail, I haven't gotten one piece of spam in over a year.
makimak22 @ Sep 11th 2009 8:47PM
That's because all the scam-mails I got ORIGINATED from gmail....
TJFadness @ Sep 12th 2009 2:51AM
We don't really know that they come from Nigeria, in fact I doubt that they do. It's probably just using Nigeria as a disguise to make people think "Foreign" without really knowing much about the country.
From Wikipedia:
"Nigeria (pronounced /naɪˈdʒɪrɪə/), officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria"
Republic =/= Prince
That coupled with the fact it is a scam, who are we to believe they are actually from Nigeria?
makimak22 @ Sep 12th 2009 5:19AM
I only know they always ask you to send the goods/money to Nigeria....
John @ Sep 12th 2009 6:27AM
Actually therea re about a dozen nigerian princes. They just don't rule the country, sort of in the way of the arabian princes.
PoonDaddy @ Sep 11th 2009 8:06PM
The new one's funnier anyway!
linebeginstoblur @ Sep 11th 2009 8:12PM
Yeah. The first one made sense because of email scams, but this new one makes no sense, leaving you to scratch your head and laugh out loud, going "Did he really say that?"
fundando @ Sep 11th 2009 9:37PM
They are both funny but Nigerian millionaire made me laugh out loud when I first saw it.
Kenoji (aka Neo Asuma) @ Sep 12th 2009 3:25PM
Was the internet even around during WWI (1914-1918) ?
Yeah, the old one did make more sense.
MystileArmor @ Sep 11th 2009 8:06PM
Reminds me of the whole Borat thing, where Kazachstan tried to sue Sacha Baron Cohen.
Andrew Ryan @ Sep 11th 2009 8:11PM
That's a real country
[ArchiGamer] @ Sep 11th 2009 8:13PM
^ No, really...
MystileArmor @ Sep 11th 2009 8:18PM
do not use your magic on me, gypsy andrew ryan.
SpaceFox @ Sep 11th 2009 8:28PM
Well that's just insane. No, not the Borat thing. But the first time I ever heard of the country Kazachstan was today, had a pop-quiz on the Middle East. So...wow. How weird. I read about this country for the first time ever and all of a sudden I end up reading it on Joystiq the same freaking day. How random.
This happens a little bit too often to me. Like the first time I hear about something I end up hearing about it again a few more times in the same day/week. Does this happen to anyone else or am I just weird?
MystileArmor @ Sep 11th 2009 8:35PM
Think of all the models you can have by just talking about them in school, dude!
SpaceFox @ Sep 11th 2009 8:38PM
Haha, I wish it worked like that!
ChronicTC7 @ Sep 11th 2009 10:45PM
Kazakhstan always pops out to me when I see it on maps of the middle east... right next to assholes Uzbekistan
linebeginstoblur @ Sep 11th 2009 8:08PM
In hindsight, yeah, it was irresponsible for a global company to say something like that.
Personally, I'm starting to like these ads more, but when I first saw them, I wasn't too impressed, but they are growing on me. Oddly enough, I enjoyed the Japanese Playface ads since I first saw them. All in all, I think both ad campaigns are nice.
But I still hate all of the aesthetic changes in firmware 3.00, along with the box redesign. Trophies is forgivable, but box art? Really? You're three years into the lifespan of the console and you just change your mind? I wonder if SCEA's going to come to my house, put duct tape over the PLAYSTATION 3 logo on my system, and then take a sharpie over it and just write PS3. Seriously, why do they hate the old logo THAT bad?
Ashitaka @ Sep 11th 2009 8:15PM
Don't forget that they rendered one of their main features (at least, it's the -first- feature you notice when you turn your PS3 on) useless. The Auto-Start no longer works.
Wiizer ($299) Having BC On Your Launch Console? (Priceless) @ Sep 11th 2009 8:16PM
What did they say exactly?
Nigerians don't have millionaires in their country? But, I just wired $4,000 for one of my Aunts to them and they'll pay me back... like double!
Wiizer ($299) Having BC On Your Launch Console? (Priceless) @ Sep 11th 2009 8:17PM
@ Ashitaka
My auto start works, dude...
linebeginstoblur @ Sep 11th 2009 8:19PM
It enforces the stereotype that Nigeria is a country known for dirty scammers. It's messing up their reputation. While we nerds found it funny because we could relate to such emails, in a global perspective, SCEA did NOT think that through.
Kodros @ Sep 11th 2009 9:11PM
"While we nerds found it funny because we could relate to such emails"
So nerds are the only people that get those kinds of email? Anywho, I actually like the WW1 line better.
Sly Cooper, Attorney at Law @ Sep 11th 2009 9:31PM
autostart doesn't work for me either.
MystileArmor @ Sep 11th 2009 8:08PM
and you can't say Longhorn Slim without saying "stupid douche"
linebeginstoblur @ Sep 11th 2009 8:10PM
Yes, you can.
You can't say Nigeria without saying Niger, which is another country. If you want to say the word that I know you're dying to say, you have to add a letter. But nice try adding unnecessary racist comments.