It’s pretty easy to imagine the marketing decision to depict mixed-race families in commercials: they’re becoming more and more common. But as a now-infamous Cheerios ad proved some months ago, plenty of bigoted Internet trolls are not ready to accept this state of affairs. That spot touched off a YouTube war with its casting of a black man and white woman as spouses—now Sony Japan is experiencing similar racist backlash over an ad for PS Vita TV.
Perhaps because the product in question will not be released in the U.S. or Europe, English-speaking people watching the commercial on YouTube seemed more interested in discussing the marriage presented within: an Asian woman cuddles on the couch with a white husband while the pair watch Sony blockbuster Elysium.
“Discussing,” however, is likely too euphemistic a phrase for what these commenters did—for while there were the noble attempts to dismiss the race question altogether, many were committed to launching bizarre critiques on the topic. Here’s a brief selection:
“Racist they want to look_ down asian guy. We must build a commercial stereotype white people”
“Asian men (such_ as myself) make a fuss over it because it is a disgusting stereotype here in America where Asian women significantly prefer white men over their own race/ethnicity. When your own race turns their back on you and we’re seen as sexless and jerked around in the media then you might know where we’re coming from.”
“them interacials_ tho”
“why is this a white family….lol is_ the japanese that white washed …”
“Asians don’t like_ black people. That includes Japan. Sorry…”
“ASIAN MEN FOR LIFE. This asian woman is a fcking disgrace for_ Japan.”
“commercials like this one promote the genocide of the japanese race. (just as much as the genocide of the european one)…Many people think on the long term. (On cultural & genetic heritage… ) , And they don’t see_ why in the fuck , they should be celebrating the extinction of their civilisation…All in the name of a pseudo-“diversity” (which is everything BUT diversity)…”
“LMAO It’s obvious they want a white guy to take care of them.”
“why is there so many Caucasians in a_ Japanese commercial?”
“white dude_ asian chick smh”
Things may not have quite escalated to the level of the Nazi references and similar feedback that caused Cheerios to shut down comments on their unexpectedly controversial ad, though it would be great to get these kids’ feedback. Not on the interracial thing, though—we just want to know if PlayStation is cooler than Xbox.
Photo via IGN/YouTube
