Microsoft Needs To Hire Better, Less Racist Graphic Designers
6:39AM August 26, 2009 | Sean Fallon
Holy crap. Is that a MacBook in this Microsoft website photo? Haha…seriously though, that is the least of their problems when it comes to the Polish version.
According to a friend of mine who grew up in Poland (hes in his 40s now and regularly goes back to Poland) the sight of someone with black skin is still exceptionally rare.
That’s appalling! Imagine if all marketing companies catered their advertising campaigns to local demographics. It gets worse. If you go to http://www.microsoft.com/Africa/ there are only pictures of black people.
Oh yeah, a macbook… you know, one of those computers, like every other in the world, that you can install windows on. Is that meant to be unusual?
And how is this racist? Being an Australian graphics developer, I have a very hard time finding good stuff without African American people in it. It sticks out like a sore thumb as ‘American’. Is that racist of me?
Maybe we could try looking at some news, Gizmacmo? Or the relevant things about this picture which is that the photoshop job is BAD. NOT the fact that they removed a black dude.
As much as I want to have a crack at Microsoft (cuz I do whenever I can, shits n giggles) but from a marketing perspective things like this can sometimes be necessary. It is not necessarily racist at all. I remember an example from uni in one of my marketing subjects which explained why you need to be careful with the way you present things in adverts when targeting different cultures. Different cultures mean different perceptions.
Example: if you advertise some baby food in (i think it was) africa, you can’t put a picture of a baby on the can because in that culture they could interpret it as there being actual human baby flesh in the can.
In this can they are saying “Empower your people”, so the target audience may be confused since, as “I need a new handle” pointed out above, there may not be many black people in Poland.
Never mind the black guy, what on God’s earth is a WOMAN doing in that boardroom touching that computer and remote? Have they invented some sort of new kettle that I haven’t heard about? GET ME SOME COFFEE!
I’m sure you could look at this image with 1000 different views.
i don’t even see a problem. so they adjusted the image to match the region. it’s called international marketing. people are too sensitive these days and want to call everyone a racist or a homophobe.
just more media BS and trhe whole world jumps on the bandwagon like the sheep they are.
Lucas
August 26, 2009 at 7:46 AM
Holly crap, the polish dude has black hands!
Report PermalinkKai Howells
August 26, 2009 at 8:37 AM
The guy they photoshopped in looks like he’s trying to “pinch one off”
Report PermalinkMike Biggs
August 26, 2009 at 9:08 AM
So the Asian guy looks more at home in Poland than a Black guy?…sheesh.
Report PermalinkI need a new handle
August 26, 2009 at 10:08 AM
According to a friend of mine who grew up in Poland (hes in his 40s now and regularly goes back to Poland) the sight of someone with black skin is still exceptionally rare.
Report Permalinkaaa
August 26, 2009 at 10:13 AM
That’s appalling! Imagine if all marketing companies catered their advertising campaigns to local demographics. It gets worse. If you go to http://www.microsoft.com/Africa/ there are only pictures of black people.
Report PermalinkBennish
August 26, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Oh yeah, a macbook… you know, one of those computers, like every other in the world, that you can install windows on. Is that meant to be unusual?
And how is this racist? Being an Australian graphics developer, I have a very hard time finding good stuff without African American people in it. It sticks out like a sore thumb as ‘American’. Is that racist of me?
Maybe we could try looking at some news, Gizmacmo? Or the relevant things about this picture which is that the photoshop job is BAD. NOT the fact that they removed a black dude.
Report PermalinkAlex
August 26, 2009 at 12:18 PM
It actually looks like an iBook G4 to me, which uses a PowerPC processor & can’t run Windows.
I agree that African Americans in Australian advertising looks pretty dodgy.
Report PermalinkDarius
August 26, 2009 at 10:54 AM
Maybe the Polish one is the original and the US ‘shopped the black dude in to make them more “diverse”
Report PermalinkGW
August 26, 2009 at 11:57 AM
thats what i was gonna say, both their heads look odd
Report Permalinkglennc
August 27, 2009 at 12:05 PM
hands
Report PermalinkAaron Holden
August 26, 2009 at 3:12 PM
As much as I want to have a crack at Microsoft (cuz I do whenever I can, shits n giggles) but from a marketing perspective things like this can sometimes be necessary. It is not necessarily racist at all. I remember an example from uni in one of my marketing subjects which explained why you need to be careful with the way you present things in adverts when targeting different cultures. Different cultures mean different perceptions.
Example: if you advertise some baby food in (i think it was) africa, you can’t put a picture of a baby on the can because in that culture they could interpret it as there being actual human baby flesh in the can.
In this can they are saying “Empower your people”, so the target audience may be confused since, as “I need a new handle” pointed out above, there may not be many black people in Poland.
Report PermalinkScott
August 26, 2009 at 9:54 PM
Never mind the black guy, what on God’s earth is a WOMAN doing in that boardroom touching that computer and remote? Have they invented some sort of new kettle that I haven’t heard about? GET ME SOME COFFEE!
I’m sure you could look at this image with 1000 different views.
Report Permalinkglennc
August 27, 2009 at 10:23 AM
i don’t even see a problem. so they adjusted the image to match the region. it’s called international marketing. people are too sensitive these days and want to call everyone a racist or a homophobe.
just more media BS and trhe whole world jumps on the bandwagon like the sheep they are.
Report Permalink