Sony Paid for Fake PSP Graffiti?

Eli Gottlieb writes "It would appear that the Sony Corporation (known for their world-class rootkits) paid graffitists to paint pictures of children using their new PSPs on city walls. Sony "artists" (corporate operatives?) have even been caught in the act of painting advertising campaigns on public walls. Note that these are not paid-for billboards or advertising media, but illegal graffiti in the first place. Beyond that, Sony is attempting to co-opt the subculture and possibly even artistic integrity of real graffists to sell more PSPs! Luckily, people have started to paint back and show that corporate vandals are not welcome." Though it does appear the vandal depicted is copying the image off of a sheet of paper, there's no real proof of Sony's complicity. Take with a grain of salt.

Repeat of the xbox launch?

[the_unknown_soldier]

This sounds like a repeat of the XBOX launch. In my city (melbourne) Microsoft spray painted a lot of streets with the green "X" logo, causing a huge fuss in the media about it being graffitti. Seems companies never learn....

Re:Hilarious!

[KDR_11k]

Some people hire graffiti artists to paint pictures on their walls. Not all graffiti is the illegal kind.

Some vandals are more equal than others...

[Anonymous Coward]

"... people have started to paint back and show that corporate vandals are not welcome."

You mean "competing vandals have started to paint back", surely?

Or do you mean that vandalising is OK as long as it's not done for profit? If so, grow the fuck up.

Double standards

[mcgroarty]

Slashdotters were all cheering and happy when IBM sent guys around at night, painting those "Peace, Love and Linux" icons all over sidewalks what -- coopting pacifist culture? Is this another example of selective outrate where it's not what's done that gets people mad, but who's doing it?

Re:Double standards

[moonbender]

First of all, yes, that's right, I'll reserve the right to be selectively outraged depending on what's being sprayed. I'm outraged at swastika graffiti, not so much at actual pictures. What's being sprayed is very much part of "what's done", who's doing it is really not relevant. Reading the CNN story [cnn.com] about the IBM graffitis that's also linked at the top of this thread, the IBM graffitis were really inconspicious, and sprayed on the sidewalks which certainly aren't as critical as building walls. Most importantly though, they were made from chalk: "It washes right off, so it will be removed the next time it rains." Total non-issue.

Sony's complete apathy

[SleepyHappyDoc]

Between this and the rootkit, it's obvious Sony doesn't give a flying fuck about anyone's rights. Not the rights of the owners of the property they are vandalising, not the rights of the owners of the computers they rootkitted, and not their customers. They just don't care. At this point, if all the prepaid PS3 orders come in as boxes filled with paper mache, it wouldn't completely surprise me. No ethics at all.

I'm surprised there's any doubt...

[PhotoBoy]

... that Sony paid for this. I mean it's the same looking characters holding PSPs appearing in cities all over the US. If it's not Sony then these are some really dedicated PSP owners out there pushing the brand.

Then again, given the lack of decent games and homebrew on the PSP I'm sure these guys have plenty of spare time to use in trekking across the country shilling for Sony. :p

Luckily, indeed...

[Otter]

Luckily, people have started to paint back and show that corporate vandals are not welcome.

No offense, assholes, but your vandalism is unwelcome, corporate or otherwise.

Re:Luckily, indeed...

[Anonymous Coward]

No offense, assholes, but your blank and crumbling brick wall is ugly as hell. Urban sprawl needs some dressing up to make it palatable.