Sony Hates Soccer, Apparently
By: Daryl | September 24th, 2008If you’re a football fan, I’m pretty sure this Sony ad for the US market - featuring Peyton Manning and Dale Earnhardt Jr. - will piss you off. I thought we were past this sort of soccer-bashing in the USA, but apparently not.
I spotted it over at EPL Talk, where the “Soccer Fans: Boycott Sony Bravia HD TV” headline has elicited a PR-heavy response from a Sony rep, attempting to justify the commercial like so:
Hi Everyone-
My name is Jennifer and I work for Sony Electronics.
Please know, that the intent of Sony’s latest commercial was to bring light on the U.S. consumers’ lack of knowledge or awareness of soccer, compared to NASCAR and NFL and not meant to offend anyone who enjoys or plays the sport. Sony is a strong global supporter of soccer/football with long-term sponsorships of both FIFA and FIFA Player of the Year Kaka. Again, Sony did not intend to offend anyone with this commercial.
Personally, I don’t buy it. Seems like a last ditch attempt at spin to dig Sony out of a bad publicity hole of their own digging.
I’d also say that you can’t have it both ways. You can’t be one of the big corporate mega-sponsors of the World Cup and bang on about how much you love the beautiful game one day, and then try and sell TVs to American jocks by laughing at the sport the next day.
And if it’s true that “the intent of Sony’s latest commercial was to bring light on the U.S. consumers’ lack of knowledge or awareness of soccer” then aren’t Sony just laughing at the very people the ad is aimed at?
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Comments
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especially given the socioeconomic demographic of soccer fans in the us and that they’d likely be the people you want to buy your overpriced televisions this is so strange
Posted from
United States
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Sony just lost my money on their products for a long time now… and my family and extended family too…and my friends… think they can get away with something that cheap..nah…boo to Peyton…as much as I like his play
Posted from
United States -
Did the commercial ever play like this? The squeamish guy just says “I don’t really like sports” on the commercial every time I’ve seen it on television. That version does really piss me off, though.
Posted from
United States -
Oh so they were trying to help America discover soccer by mocking it? Gee, thanks Sony!
I believe this commercial was also associated with the store HH Greg as well, so if footy fans want to send some venom their way, feel free!
Posted from
United States -
Thank goodness I recently purchased a Samsung.
Posted from
United States -
Lets just say Sony has lost my business.
Posted from
United States -
That’s sad. It’s not even a funny punchline. If you’re gonna slag off football, at least make it mildly humerous.
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Ironically I never saw this version of the commercial. The one I saw featured the customer saying “I don’t really like sports” and then the chicken attempting to kick his ass, which I thought was rather funny.
They apparently pulled this ad before I ever got to see it, but seeing it is just sickening. Anyone want a Sony Bravia 32″ LCD ?
Posted from
United States -
lol. well thanks for “shedding light” on this, Sony just lost a long time customer, along with thousands who devote their lives to the game. Its obviously trying to attract american customers with this mindset that they have. not working…peace sony !
Posted from
United States -
This commercial has not aired yet to the best of my knowledge. What did air was one with the man saying “I dont really like sports”.
Posted from
United States -
Sony has always been a crap company selling crap products….imho
Posted from
United States -
It has aired in the that format–I believe it was during the Sunday night game. As a fan of both American and association football (there, can I say it that way without pissing off somebody who doesn’t know that “soccer” is an English term?) this commercial really pissed me off. There was nothing in it that suggested a lack of knowledge about soccer; it was pure derision on the part of the stars.
Posted from
United States -
If you think soccer sucks, fine…but how you could then think that NASCAR *doesn’t* suck is beyond me.
Posted from
United States -
Yes, every time I have seen the commercial the guy at the end says “I don’t like sports”.
I guess they changed it in the nick of time. But now that I know that they actually did this as a take, IM SO PISSED
Posted from
United States -
the sad thing is this kind of humor still gets a lot of milage in the states, people think its funny.
Posted from
United States -
letufur is right. In the states, there are TONS of those “huhhhhuh soccer is gay” American football fans that only watch the World Cup. The people offended by this commercial will consist of about 10% (or less) of the total amount of people that saw it.
Posted from
United States -
@ Tommy and others,
It did air. It wasn’t just a take that never went on air. I definitely saw it during an NFL game. I think they probably quickly realized their fubar and changed it, but yes, this was the original aired version.
Posted from
United States -
I agree with lefutur as well. Remember watching the Movie SuperBad with my cousin, and watching a scene in the movie where they made fun of the Sport. made me upset somewhat lol.
as far as the commerical goes, it makes me mad, but i would just shrug it off. If anything, ima call SONY next week and tell them im watching Champions league Football in HD in max volume, see how they respond lol.
Posted from
United States -
Ronald,
When you say Football do you also mean soccer?
Posted from
United States -
Brian: hahaha yeah NASCAR, seriously?
Ronald: They didn’t really make fun of soccer in that scene, Michael Cera just didn’t feel like playing.
Posted from
United States -
Jeeez, lighten up.
Posted from
United States -
Guys, this is Sony.
Their right hand doesnt know what they’re left is doing most of the time.
I wouldnt be surprised if the people responsible for this campaign even knew that Sony is a big football league sponsor.Posted from
Canada -
I’m the guy that uploaded that vid.. and just to clear something up…
The commercial never “directly” insults soccer, it just brushes away soccer like its nothing. Which is really true for the majority of viewers who even watched the commercial on air. Its played during NFL games and doesn’t expect people who LOVE soccer to be watching it.. Sony is just trying to appeal to the viewers (football viewers)Posted from
United States -
Lets face it there is so much pro soccer content in the media, in most of the world, that anything that some people understand to be derogatory is at least a change from the norm!!! In the UK anyone could make any sport as popular as Soccer given the same air time !!!!
Posted from
United Kingdom -
For those of you in the UK some education from someone also in the UK (born and bred). Most of the sporting world know what you call Football as Soccer. And Soccer was, according to history, first played in China a very long time before it was played in the uk. Also, and especially considering the money we put into soccer, we are absolutely rubbish at it. Another interesting fact from Sport England is that as a participation sport for the over 16’s Soccer is 7th in the uk which probably explains a lot as most fans are armchair sportsmen! if you dont believe me then Google it!!
Posted from
United Kingdom
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