[PS3] Why Sony dropped their ad agency

[Destructor]

I KNOW there was another thread talking about it, but for the life of me I can't find it. Anyway...

Here's the real reason why Sony dumped their ad agency.

Steampunk meets The Matrix in Sony's crazy spot that reminds me of a bad dream I had last week. The company is trying to somehow illustrate how the processor power of the PS3 can keep you one step ahead, but we're just thinking somebody slipped some kind of special fairy dust into the bong bowl hidden in the back room of Sony's ad agency. We've seen some weird ads, but this one reaches a new level of strange. What a peculiar concept! No wonder Sony's thinking about ditching TBWA/Chiat/Day, its ad agency covering the PS3. But wait. The spot moved me to show it to you, so it must've succeeded on some level.

Can somebody please tell me how this advertises the PS3? Frankly, it scares me away from wanting to own one.

At least your fantasies have been fulfilled - The King fights Borat. Or...something.

[Koz]

Yeah, that was pretty weird. I do like those ones where the PS3 is morphing into various shapes, however.

[EngineNo9]

Yeah, that was pretty weird. I do like those ones where the PS3 is morphing into various shapes, however.

Those new ones are the best ads they have put out, and it's sad that it took them a year to do something that actually showed some games and stuff. 

[Calvin]

Yeah, that was pretty weird. I do like those ones where the PS3 is morphing into various shapes, however.

Those are excellent commercials.

[unbreakable]

I remember the picture with the bleeding chess piece.  I could never figure out why that was supposed to make me feel like purchasing a PS3.

[Azhag]

The only ads I've liked are the recent ones... that actually show games. They make me want to buy one, whereas the old ads accomplished nothing.

[Teggy]

That had the "thisisliving.com" tag on the end, which was the campaign in Europe, no?  The one that had an ad with a guy pleasuring himself to a soccer game?  So I would guess that this ad would never show up in the US.

I know they're all cultured and mature, but I can't even imagine Europeans thinking that was a good ad.

[semiconscious]

Yeah, that was pretty weird. I do like those ones where the PS3 is morphing into various shapes, however.

Those are excellent commercials.

you mean like this one?...

[Turtle]

The sad thing was that it took them this long to drop their absolutely stupid ad company.  I mean, someone was taking kickbacks or screwing someone to keep that contract.  I've seen first year ad students come up with better commercials.

The new ads were through the old company, but actually farmed out to another ad company.

Anyway, this only affects Sony entertainment America, not Europe.

[Calvin]

Yeah, that was pretty weird. I do like those ones where the PS3 is morphing into various shapes, however.

Those are excellent commercials.

you mean like this one?...

Whatever the new ones are-with the gameplay footage, rock soundtrack, and transforming PS3. Those.

[Godzilla Blitz]

I've liked the recent ads much better as well. At $400, buying a PS3 starts to make more sense, and the new ads lead me to believe that in the next year there may be enough games for the system to warrant a purchase.

But that goofy ad in the original post? Wow. That was the worst of some horrible PS3 ads this past year. It's like they let David Lynch make a PS3 ad. There is nothing there that remotely connects to the PS3, and the processor power angle? How do two people and a donkey connect to processor power? That ad makes me want to nothing except turn it off. And maybe go to Taco Bell.

[faide]

That first ad was horrible.  As a marketing major, I never can understand why any company would pay for an add that lasts for 1 minute, and only shows the brand image for less than 5 seconds of that time.   
 

The other ad is a lot better.

[Misguided]

The only ads I've liked are the recent ones... that actually show games. They make me want to buy one, whereas the old ads accomplished nothing.

Yeah, the new ones showing MGS4, Heavenly Sword, Ratchet & Clank, etc are good.
I remember exclaiming, "Hey! A PS3 commercial that actually shows games!"

[CrayolaSmoker]

How do two people and a donkey connect to processor power? That ad makes me want to nothing except turn it off. And maybe go to Taco Bell.

The ad states that the PS3 has faster processing power to "stay one step ahead of you." From where I'm sitting, the guy dodging the bullets is staying "one step ahead" of the growingly annoyed donkey-guy with the gun. In short, bullet-dodge guy is the PS3... and those playing it are frustrated jackasses. 

[Destructor]

The only ads I've liked are the recent ones... that actually show games. They make me want to buy one, whereas the old ads accomplished nothing.

Yeah, the new ones showing MGS4, Heavenly Sword, Ratchet & Clank, etc are good.
I remember exclaiming, "Hey! A PS3 commercial that actually shows games!"

There's a thought - actually show gameplay footage when trying to show off your gaming console! Or at least show off some CGI renders like they used to do with games like FFVII. 

[CeeKay]

and here I though the Burger King had a new look....