Sony ads in general, and Sony PSP ads in particular, have been no strangers to controversy. Late last year, Sony took out some billboard space and commissioned artists to paint swirly eyed youths in a graffiti style on them, drawing criticism that it promoted illegal graffiti. An ad campaign in Italy last year that featured a young man wearing a crown of thorns with PlayStation's iconic circle, square, X and triangle buttons with the words "Ten Years of Passion" was denounced by the Vatican. More recently, a series of billboard ads in the U.K. stirred up controversy again with PSP ads that read "Strong language and scenes of a sexual nature here," "Your Girlfriend's White Bits Here," and "Saucy Emails Won't Get You Fired Here," which some thought were particularly inappropriate in areas near schools and churches. Another ad in the same campaign stated "Take a Running Jump Here" and was removed from a metro station, due to worries about passengers being hit by trains.

While the criticism of most of these ads has mostly been regional, the most recent PSP advertising campaign to draw controversy threatens to turn into a worldwide issue. This series of ads, running in the Netherlands, is for the PlayStation Portable Ceramic White. While that's all well and good, the billboard shows an image of a white woman grasping a black woman while they both are locked in a contentious stare.

GameDaily BIZ will examine the reactions, the response and the reasoning with this controversial ad campaign.

Late last week, Digital Battle broke the story of the dutch ads. Quickly, knowledge of the ads spread quickly, with large sites like GameSpot and IGN picking up the stories. It wasn't long before people outside of the gaming industry saw the story and started issuing public statements.

Racist? You be the judge...

"I am deeply disappointed in Sony's senseless decision to publish this racially-charged advertisement," said California Assembly Speaker and game content regulation advocate Leland Yee. "I can't begin to determine Sony's motivation but I believe this marketing strategy is unnecessary and is clearly offensive to many in our community."

"Whether in the U.S. or abroad, using differences in skin color to articulate the fact that your video game console now comes in white can be interpreted as insensitive at best and racist at worst," he added.

"The days of blacks being portrayed in minstrel shows are long gone, and with good reason," said Rick Callender, president of the San Jose/Silicon Valley chapter of the NAACP. "The minstrel show was an awful chapter in history and this ad smacks of that age and time. It is even further unacceptable that some corporations still think it is ok to use racially charged media images. The latest Sony ad conjures up bad memories of when stereotypical and offensive images of people of color were accepted means of selling a product. Sony should immediately apologize and discontinue these archaic advertising tactics."