No Cabbage Rolls for Microsoft...

[dragon wench]

Microsoft's Ad In Poland Photoshops Black Man, But Keeps Asian Man, White Woman

Doing business abroad sometimes requires companies to tweak their marketing strategies. Companies often swap idiomatic phrases or images in advertisements to better suit cultural sensitivities and achieve better sales. But do those edits ever go too far?

A black man was replaced with a white man in a Microsoft online advertisement intended for use in Poland. An Asian man in the ad apparently made the cut, and appeared in both the Polish and stateside versions of the ad.

But the ad's creator(s) missed one small detail.

The Asian guy miraculously survived, but only a small portion of the black guy remains. They forgot to Photoshop out his hand.

Engadget reports that the ad has been taken down.

Microsoft has since apologized, according to CNET:
We are looking into the details of this situation," a Microsoft representative told CNET News. "We apologize and are in the process of pulling down the image."

If you're curious, take a look at Microsoft's statement on its commitment to diversity. The company promises to, "promote and integrate diversity and inclusion at every level within our organization and in everything we do."




Brilliant piece of marketing there Microsoft....

I mean, no matter which way you slice it, MS just looks bad. They either appear to be accusing the Polish of racism, they themselves could be mistaken as being racist, and... they're a technology giant who just screwed up on a basic Photoshop..

[Fljotsdale]

Heh! Somebody'll get kicked in the butt.

[Loki[D.d.G]]

Quote:

Brilliant piece of marketing there Microsoft....

I doubt this will so much as scratch their sales though.

[Xandax]

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Originally Posted by Fljotsdale Heh! Somebody'll get kicked in the butt.

The word is the company is going to ... "handle" ... the person responsible for the change ... aka kicked in the butt.

[Sain]

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Originally Posted by Loki[D.d.G] I doubt this will so much as scratch their sales though.

Sadly, no.

[Loki[D.d.G]]

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Originally Posted by dragon wench they're a technology giant who just screwed up on a basic Photoshop..

Indeed. Makes you wonder just who they are employing these days. Whiz kids a casualty of the recession? Or maybe it could have been someone's convoluted idea of a joke.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Surely they could have done both at once and just put in a shot of Michael Jackson?
We are allowed to start joking about him again now right?

[Craig]

I could have done a better job. Thats quite shocking.

And why not reshoot it? It takes what an extra 20 minutes and one more model....?

[Loki[D.d.G]]

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Originally Posted by Craig And why not reshoot it? It takes what an extra 20 minutes and one more model....?

And have to pay extra for a professional photographer, a studio and salary for a model? Photoshop is way cheaper and much more convenient by comparison, provided you don't make a boo boo.

[Craig]

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Originally Posted by Loki[D.d.G] And have to pay extra for a professional photographer, a studio and salary for a model? Photoshop is way cheaper and much more convenient by comparison, provided you don't make a boo boo.

But this is microsoft, they already have a studio and photographer...plus you pay for a one off shot of the model. I think this is more because they'd have to tell the black model guy he was to be replaced by a white guy for the second shooting. How'd you think he would feel about that?

[Loki[D.d.G]]

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Originally Posted by Craig How'd you think he would feel about that?

How do you think he felt about getting Photoshop-ed out of the Polish ad? With a hand to reveal his prior existence.

[DesR85]

A cry of racism just because some guy in the middle got replaced by someone else in a different version of the same ad? So what? Is Microsoft suddenly advocating racism?

I probably bet that this is the same folks who lampooned Capcom for racism in Resident Evil 5 just because it happens to be set in Africa and the majority of the enemies there are black. As a result, both the Far Cry 2 and RE5 devs have to 'diversify' their enemies so as to avoid the racism complaints. What a bunch of jerks.

[Loki[D.d.G]]

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Originally Posted by DesR85 A cry of racism just because some guy in the middle got replaced by someone else in a different version of the same ad? So what? Is Microsoft suddenly advocating racism?

Race has always been a sensitive issue, no matter where you are from. There will always be someone waiting to take offense at even the slightest occurrence.

[Fljotsdale]

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Originally Posted by Loki[D.d.G] Race has always been a sensitive issue, no matter where you are from. There will always be someone waiting to take offense at even the slightest occurrence.

This is so true; and it makes people think twice - or more - before making legitimate complaints or comments, in case they are accused of racism. Which, in turn, means that we supinely say nothing at all and injustices and inequities are sometimes permitted in the names of political correctness and antiracism.

And no: I'm not a racist - or at least I don't think I am. But I do have huge issues regarding religious matters. I'm an atheist, and it scares me to death to see the way religion can warp the minds of even perfectly nice, and otherwise normal, people. To say nothing of the fanatics.

So... uh... I kinda expect this post to be deleted in the name of political correctness...

[Xandax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DesR85 A cry of racism just because some guy in the middle got replaced by someone else in a different version of the same ad? So what? Is Microsoft suddenly advocating racism? I probably bet that this is the same folks who lampooned Capcom for racism in Resident Evil 5 just because it happens to be set in Africa and the majority of the enemies there are black. As a result, both the Far Cry 2 and RE5 devs have to 'diversify' their enemies so as to avoid the racism complaints. What a bunch of jerks.

Well - it is Microsoft so of course it is racists (yes - sarcasm)
But no - I agree with you.