A HISTORY OF STRANGE PLAYSTATION ADS
With the PlayStation 3 nearing launch, and the first US commercials showing up on TV (and the net), there has been a lot of talk about the first two spots. One starring a giggly baby with retractable tears and light-up eyes, and the other starring a Rubik's cube that explodes when you solve it.
The general consensus calls these ads extremely mysterious. Good or bad? Some critics say they do nothing to explain why Joe Americana would want one of these levitating devices. Others appreciate their artsy vagueness. What's certain? The PlayStation brand is no stranger to... stranger advertising.
Let's start with the perpetually strange David Lynch. For the PlayStation 2 launch, Sony called on him to introduce their new product to Europe. The campaign was called The Third Place. If I remember correctly, the idea came from Earth being the first place, Space being the second, and the third being somewhere beyond that, another dimension, or even dreams. This coincides with the PS2 design itself; the Earth being the blue PS2 text in the middle and Space being the black body.
Here are five of the ads from the campaign, but I'm saving the best (weirdest) for the end of the post:
Probably my favorite of the bunch. Beautifully animated and great narration. Plus it's pretty damn crazy. MY ROCKET IS MADE FROM PURE CARBON AND SMASHES THROUGH PLANETS!
Guess I've been playing PlayStation's for about 12 years now, but obviously not like this guy. Diggin' the blue trunks though.
Meet Jimmy Dynamite. This fool is set in his ways, and doesn't budge for even the nicest pleading british accent. This is probably the ad that most represents Sony today.
Now this one's pretty nice. You know, in a poetical sort of fashion. It also makes me want to finish that Dali puzzle.
Here's Bambi, a motor vehicle in transit, the connection of the two and the unexpected result.
Next will be Chris Cunningham's disturbing entry. If you don't know, Chris Cunningham has directed videos for Autechre, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Portishead and Bjork, among others. Definitely worth a browse if you like the next video. Also, I inexplicably switch to YouTube for videos at this point. Though, I guess it's not really a switch anymore... Am I rambling?
This is called "Mental Wealth" and it's starring Fi-Fi; a creepy alien-type chick. I mean she seems nice, and looks to be a decent conversationalist... just not my creepy cup of tea.
The two following videos have no special director as far as I know, just ads. And the next one's really fun.
The PlayStation 9. The only unrealistic thing about this ad is that it's projected for release in 2078, which will be well after the Singularity.
This one's pretty cool. Made for New Zealand I guess. The Shirley Temple soundtrack ROCKS and I really think it puts all the Xbox 360 "Jump In" ads to shame.
And per my own outstanding personality trait, I've saved the best for last. Back with David Lynch here, and one of the strangest commercials I've ever seen.
How 'bout some Aflac for the dude in the body cast?
The Third Place used to have a website with a bunch of fun, artsy flash installments, but it's gone now. Shame.
But there you have it, a bunch of weird PlayStation ads. I personally would like to see a throwback to the PS1 days with a slightly modified version of a campaign most of us remember. What do you guys think?
URNOT3
With the PlayStation 3 nearing launch, and the first US commercials showing up on TV (and the net), there has been a lot of talk about the first two spots. One starring a giggly baby with retractable tears and light-up eyes, and the other starring a Rubik's cube that explodes when you solve it.
The general consensus calls these ads extremely mysterious. Good or bad? Some critics say they do nothing to explain why Joe Americana would want one of these levitating devices. Others appreciate their artsy vagueness. What's certain? The PlayStation brand is no stranger to... stranger advertising.
Let's start with the perpetually strange David Lynch. For the PlayStation 2 launch, Sony called on him to introduce their new product to Europe. The campaign was called The Third Place. If I remember correctly, the idea came from Earth being the first place, Space being the second, and the third being somewhere beyond that, another dimension, or even dreams. This coincides with the PS2 design itself; the Earth being the blue PS2 text in the middle and Space being the black body.
Here are five of the ads from the campaign, but I'm saving the best (weirdest) for the end of the post:
Probably my favorite of the bunch. Beautifully animated and great narration. Plus it's pretty damn crazy. MY ROCKET IS MADE FROM PURE CARBON AND SMASHES THROUGH PLANETS!
Guess I've been playing PlayStation's for about 12 years now, but obviously not like this guy. Diggin' the blue trunks though.
Meet Jimmy Dynamite. This fool is set in his ways, and doesn't budge for even the nicest pleading british accent. This is probably the ad that most represents Sony today.
Now this one's pretty nice. You know, in a poetical sort of fashion. It also makes me want to finish that Dali puzzle.
Here's Bambi, a motor vehicle in transit, the connection of the two and the unexpected result.
Next will be Chris Cunningham's disturbing entry. If you don't know, Chris Cunningham has directed videos for Autechre, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Portishead and Bjork, among others. Definitely worth a browse if you like the next video. Also, I inexplicably switch to YouTube for videos at this point. Though, I guess it's not really a switch anymore... Am I rambling?
This is called "Mental Wealth" and it's starring Fi-Fi; a creepy alien-type chick. I mean she seems nice, and looks to be a decent conversationalist... just not my creepy cup of tea.
The two following videos have no special director as far as I know, just ads. And the next one's really fun.
The PlayStation 9. The only unrealistic thing about this ad is that it's projected for release in 2078, which will be well after the Singularity.
This one's pretty cool. Made for New Zealand I guess. The Shirley Temple soundtrack ROCKS and I really think it puts all the Xbox 360 "Jump In" ads to shame.
And per my own outstanding personality trait, I've saved the best for last. Back with David Lynch here, and one of the strangest commercials I've ever seen.
How 'bout some Aflac for the dude in the body cast?
The Third Place used to have a website with a bunch of fun, artsy flash installments, but it's gone now. Shame.
But there you have it, a bunch of weird PlayStation ads. I personally would like to see a throwback to the PS1 days with a slightly modified version of a campaign most of us remember. What do you guys think?
posted by Michael at 2:15 AM
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