In the leak-plagued lead-ups to the PSP Go and PlayStation 3 Slim unveilings, Sony PR reps had the unenviable task of chanting the mantra "Sony does not comment on rumors or speculation" hundreds of times to dozens of news outlets.

　　Now, in a rare display of self-referential humor, Sony has decided to poke fun at the leaks--and its own denials--in a series of TV ads promoting the PS3 Slim. The games press' collective ear is also tweaked, as in this spot when a "Rumor Monger" asks about a "hot tip" about the $299 console. Sony's director of rumor confirmation denies the reports--as he walks through a forest of $299 PS3 banners, T-shirts, signs, and other promotional materials:

　　The ad is part of a new campaign that reinforces Sony's longstanding position that the PS3 is more than a gaming console with the tagline: "It only does everything." It marks the latest evolution of Sony's PS3 ad campaign, which got off to a wobbly start in the US in 2006 with a series of ominous ads hinting at the console's power:

　　In 2007, Europe was hit with the now-notorious "This is Living" campaign. The bizarre series of TV spots featured random people spouting existential questions--but did not show the PS3 at all, let alone any game footage.

　　Things picked up in late 2007, when the more traditional--and testosterone-infused--"Universe of Entertainment" campaign played up the PS3's gaming functions with slick computer animation.