Poles on Microsoft gaffe: Isn't that a Mac in the shot?

In the wake of the unfortunate race-swap decapitation performed by unknown persons on an image used on Microsoft's Web site in Poland, I thought I'd wander over to the Polish press and see what it might have to say on the subject.

You see, we spoke Polish at home. And, well, I wondered whether the coverage in the country of my blood might indeed differ in any way from that in the U.S. Some Polish papers, like the rather energetic tabloid Super Express seem not have to made much of the story.

The more serious Dziennik pointed to critics who suggested that at least Microsoft "left the Poles an Asian." Dziennik also pointed to the Web site of the Medical University of Lublin which, while having two white professors on its Polish language site, introduced a black professor on its English language version.

Perhaps the most influential national daily, Gazeta Wyborcza, had its say Wednesday in an article entitled "The Black Hand of Microsoft." Gazeta Wyborcza opted for a less than sympathetic tone. "The black man's face was removed digitally," wrote the paper, "but they forgot about his hand."

While saying that Microsoft's Polish operation was not commenting at all on the issue, Gazeta Wyborcza made much of the suggestion that the laptop in the shot may actually be a barely anonymized Apple model and that the monitor on the table doesn't seem to be connected to anything. The paper even quoted Vijay, a commenter from the PhotoshopDisasters blog, who wrote: "The white head and black hand actually symbolise (sic) interracial harmony."

Judging by the lack of comments on the article, it appears that so far Poles regard this issue as not terribly significant.

Click for larger version

(Credit: Screenshot by CNET News)

And here's the one from the Polish site (click to enlarge):

Click for larger version

(Credit: Screenshot by CNET News)

[technewb]

This is not racist. In africa they would replace the white woman with a black women. It's called advertising to your market. These people need to get a life.

[EdmondDantes]

There are all kinds of repercussions here. The head transplant gives validity to the perception of Poland as a country uncomfortable with ethnic or cultural diversity. Once, I saw an interview in the US by a high Polish official (post Berlin wall) enthusing about Polish homogeneous population, which protected the country from upheaval that befell on the ex-Yugoslavia. And we all know how the Polish population got to be homogeneous. I hope the Polish public protests this type of perception. They were the ones truly offended by Microsoft's advertisement.

[jabberwolf]

I kinda agree that people use advertising for certain markets.. maybe there arent many black men in Poland?
In any case, they could have at least used another advertisement and this is bad for the POLAND ad company and not Microsoft.

As for the mac.. um WHERE? The white laptop? Thats what they are claiming is a Mac?
Oh and the monitor cable can connect to may under the table mini-systems.. that I have actually installed.
They are actually quite useful in board rooms that need a hidden computer to connect to. But usually those are for projector use.

[Sceptic22]

About six years ago, Ford advertised here in Poland showing 4 happy workers, talking-heads style, filmed at Ford plant in the UK. All were black, but for broadcasting in Poland, all (!) of them were "whitened". Someone traced those men, and they were not happy. 2009 - another company, some gaffe.
To "EdmontDantes": I am sorry, but I must fully support the remarks made by our official about advantages of homogenous population of Poland in the unstable and adverse environment of war-torn and divided Europe. The way etnic minorities were used post-1990 to create conflicts and provide excuse for invasions and partition of Serbia, Iraq and Georgia only confirms their validity. Anyone denying that shall look how Russia plays ethnic divisions in Ukraine, our largest neighbour today, with a clear intent to invade and divide at the first possible opportunity. The logic is cruel: no minorities, no excuse to meddle and invade to "protect" them, like Nazi Germany did here 70 year ago.
Anyone from the US shall also remember that this "ethic separation" solution for Central Europe, which included massive border and population shifts was in fact suggested by the US administration of Harry Truman during the post-WWII peace conference in Potsdam. Certain readers from the NY area can search the net for Theodore Kaufman book "Gemany must perish!" publised in 1941, where this idea ("enriched" with proposal for mass exterminations of Germans) was first proposed.

[roe999]

There is a Polish woman who lugged a desktop computer to the meeting. Or maybe she's a Dem. congresswoman.

[sanenazok]

@Edmond: After WWII Poland was essentially resettled - just look at the map of Poland in 1938 and then again in 1950. The three most populous districts in the East were taken by the Soviets and the ethnically Polish people from those region went West. The Ukranians, Russians and other minorities who survived the war stayed behind in the Soviet Union or left for the West. Simply it's a fact that European countries through losses and population swaps became most homogenous in the 20th century. That's changing again, but not even that much. Having visited non-turisted parts of Austria, you can go from town to town and meet no non-Austrians. Is it better this way? Who knows, but it's how it is.

[EdmondDantes]

Hate to be the one to bring this up explicitly. In 1939, 10% of Polish population was classified as Jewish by the criteria stated in the Nuremberg laws. Not withstanding border shifts and forced relocations, an ethnically homogeneous Poland is nothing to be particularly proud of. The idea that Poles must be protected from a black face in an web advertisement doesn't bring good memories.

[unifex_]

Edmond, you have to realize, that 99% of Polish population have only seen a black face on CNN or in American movies. There are no black people in Poland to make any of this an issue.

[Sceptic22]

@EdmontDantes: In fact, the proportion of Jewish population in Poalnd before WWII was even higher, ca. 13% by official census.
1. "an ethnically homogeneous Poland is nothing to be particularly proud of".
Living there since 1959, see no reason to complain about this. The country works, it's safe and stable. Very much unlike current Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Sri Lanka or Israel. Any complaints about the way it was achieved shall be directed to Mr. Adolf Hitler and Mr. Joseph Stalin (a.k.a. "dear Uncle Joe" in the U.S.).
2. "Poles must be protected from a black face in an web advertisement". No, we don't need that. However, to be effective, the ads must show the likely customers. Otherwise, the are suitable for showing elsewhere. Shall Microsoft advertisements in Israel show Arabs - the most numerous people living in that region?

[Mr. Dee]

So what if its a Mac? Microsoft is the largest developer of software for the Mac outside of Apple. Not to mention Mac users love Office for Mac. The guy looks like an executive btw way, the tend to not know better when it comes to technology.

[firepad]

Mac users buy Office for the same reason as anyone else: interoperability. The app itself is dismal. Fortunately, the import/export alternatives get better every year...

[solitare_pax]

Of course, the last time I heard of someone at Microsoft taking a photo of Macs being used at Microsoft (in the PR department of course) they got canned but quick.

I will say that it is a horrid execution of photoshopping though - they should ask for their money back, and send the kiddie who manipulated the image to surf worth1000.com for tips.

[skatemusiclife64]

Did you just say Mac users love Office for Mac? Go read the reviews on Apple's site (average 2 star rating) then tell me Mac users love it.

[t8]

What, another Microsoft employee is Mr Dee.

You guys should be trying to fix Windows, not spreading pro-Microsoft propaganda in public forums.

[Sehera13]

It's always nice when entire nation is judged by the actions of one idiot...

[Fatesrider]

It looks like a Apple MacBook MB062LL/A. The spacing, type and number of ports on the showing side, along with the size, looks about right.

The monitor ISN'T plugged into anything. It has no wires of any kind attached to it. (It's a Dell monitor and looks like an old Dell keyboard). The only wire leading from it actually comes from the keyboard..

This is what happens when you get an ad agency that doesn't know a notebook from a cookbook and actors intended to be a mix of happy, productive, successful executives having a good time to promote a company. My guess is this is a stock photo that can be used for several other ad campaigns as well and wasn't specifically shot in support of a Microsoft ad campaign.

My question is, if this gal is giving a slide presentation (even if using a computer to do it), why is she bothering with the keyboard when she has a remote?

[viper396]

All your comments prove is that everything in the picture is a prop and the photo is obviously staged. All those people somehow trying to gloat because a Mac is displayed in a Microsoft photo are vastly over analysing some very petty details.

[techbizman]

Wait, you mean this photo was actually staged? Like for an ad or something. Holy apple-roni, what will Microsoft do next?

Next thing you know, people like Fatesrider will be telling us that pro wrestling is scripted.

[kaibelf]

It's a stock photo that was altered for a market that has a much smaller black population percentage than in the United States. Who cares? MS software runs on Macs. It's stupid to assume that the entire world looks, acts, and has the same ethnic makeup and customs as the US.

[rajesh_shenoy]

They're most probably laughing because Windows has hung up on them - the woman is pressing the ESC key!

[celticbrewer]

Maybe they're laughing about the junk peripherals that were laying around the ad agency's prop room.

[techbizman]

NO, look at her hand placement on the keyboard carefully. Her fingers are in limbo between the number keys and function keys.

But the thumb... looks like it's pressing... the A key.

That's right, the letter A... as in Apple. Maybe there really are Apple spies working in Microsoft's marketing department.

[hysonmb]

You could assume (wildly) that the input and power for the monitor were pulled and run to the projector. She may have the remote for the presentation, but also be taking notes in the meeting where no one knows what she's talking about and apparently the guy in the middle is having an identity crisis.
Also, yes, the computer looks like a Mac. Microsoft likely could have cared less when this pic was taken if it was a Mac or not. Like another poster said, they make money off of Mac users. Sure PC users are going to run Windows most of the time, but, a LOT of Mac users are now using Boot Camp and running Windows anyway. Apple is advertising an improvement in Snow Leopard saying that it's compatible with Exchange out of the box.....
The guy being Photoshopped really isn't the issue here. I think it's more about the guy being Photoshopped badly. I'm sure someone is already on it, but, I'd like to know how many of these stock photos are modified for different markets and how much do they save by doing Photoshop instead of taking another picuture with the other guy? It's a photo shoot, someone around there would have had to fit the look they were trying to get and it would have likely been less expensive than paying someone to PS the pic (and subsequently fix it while taking a PR hit)

[sergiodesandiego]

This seems to me as an insult to polish people, insinuating that they won't buy a product displaying blacks.
Hmmm what does it mean? they don't like blacks? no actually, they like white with black hands, it looks nice and colorful on them. Asian might be okay to them, beautiful white woman is way better to sell your product in Poland; I got the message

[Renegade Knight]

It's an ad. When you somehow figure it's an insult when it's an ad, it says more about you than the ad.

[jaycal3]

You may speak Polish at home, but your English is definitely American.

You added a redundant (sic) after symbolise. The English spell many words with a "se" where Americans use "ze".

[praetorian909]

Yes, I was also going to post a comment on this. Symbolise is alternate spelling--it is not incorrect nor a typo .

[Technostud]

Let's hope Chris's Polish is better than his English. He typed a pretentious correction of the newspaper Gazeta Wybocza's spelling of "symbolise." But that is of course a perfectly acceptable British spelling.

[alaronshannara]

Agreed. I hate it when people ignorantly "correct" others' spellings. There's far more value in the words than the letters, so you're only revealing your desire to seem superior.

Not only that, you open yourself to being legitimately called an idiot when you correct people for speaking a different dielect.

Nice job, Chris.

[krashr]

Are you sure you didn't just pull this off Gizmodo's site instead of checking your home country's Microsoft site?
http://gizmodo.com/5345418/microsoft-needs-to-hire-better-less-racist-graphic-designers

[bmrowe23]

That's OK. Marketing people make me want to pull my head off all the time. Besides these people look too happy to be IT executives. They look more like consultants when catering arrives. And yes, it is normal for their mis-matched gear not to be plugged into anything.

[WilliamBanzai7]

I lived in Poland 6 years. Black people are regularly referred to as chocolate people and monkeys on a regular basis. There was no civil rights movement in Poland and it should be no surprise that some Polish PR jock decided to "white out" the black gentleman.

[sanenazok]

There's no "civil rights" movement in Poland since there was no systematic discrimination against blacks akin to slavery and jim crow laws as there in the US. The goals of the American Civil Rights movement - access to voting, job opprotunities are not relevant in Poland most other regions. Advertising should be representative of the country's it's being shown in.

[unifex_]

Not to mention that there are basically no black people in Poland, so what civil rights movement are you talking about? Moreover, there are lots of people there who live their lives in their villages and never travel anywhere. For them a black person is no different from an alien. They may use any words, but in practice there is still no racism there since there is nobody to discriminate. That's why this whole issue is a non-issue there.

[0__0]

@sanenazok and @unifex

So wait because there was no civil rights issue in Poland that means it's perfectly fine to call them "monkeys and chocolate people" on a regular basis??? Please clarify because you ignored the more serious issue there. Okay so there are no civil rights movements, understandable, but name calling??? THAT'S not understandable.

And what the heck is this?? "For them a black person is no different from an alien."
How about a a black person be looked at as a HUMAN BEING. Shocking I know, but yes, black people are in fact, Human Beings.
Welcome to Earth.

[jayperk]

So they replaced him with a Polish-looking guy for an ad that ran in Poland. I guess if the ad ran in Detroit, and the original guy was a Pole, they would replace the Polish dude with a darker guy and the Poles would be making all this noise. Well, probably not.

[chowza]

The US is multi-cultural and multi-ethnic, with PC bordering on the ridiculous. Other countries, like Poland, are, for the most part, culturally and ethnically homogeneous. PC is not a factor in such places nor is racial diversity/equality something that is even considered (being that such places only have one race for the most part ). The Photoshopping in the MS ad was definitely bad but, if the country's population is 99% white, then including all white faces in ads makes complete sense -- why include a Black or an Asian face in a place that has neither?? The goal is to appeal to the local market -- putting images in ad that locals can't relate to does not accomplish that at all.

[Miron111]

It takes quite an imagination to pick on a Polish guy to want to represent a company in Poland... as if he was somehow racially motivated. Political correctness goes ta - ta, armed and dangerous.

[meechp123]

Umm...I'm black and I just wanted to say:

THIS IS STUPID. I'm tired of everything being about race.

They probably adjusted the ad for their target market. If not and if their intentions were malicious...well, shame on them.

I'm just going to give the person who created this ad the benefit of doubt and assume it's the former.

[jayperk]

I've been here. I was a brand manager of a consumer products company that got caught in a similar mistake by an ad layout team. A "donation" was made by the firm to a particular group of "non-profit community organizations" and the issue was dropped. The donation amounted to a figure about the cost of a full-page ad in Time. Not a big deal. The gentle woman that collected the "donation" arrived in a terrific custom Mercedes, her entourage treated to an embarrassingly expense luncheon with the President of our company and all was forgiven. It had happened before.

A member of the offending layout team, a rather hard working and capable African American lady herself, quipped: "kinda gives a whole new meaning to the term Black-mail, no?". We had a good laugh but she shook her head and said "This doesn't make it any easier for us". I felt bad for her.

This is how some people in non-profit organizations earn a living. Nothing else.

[leskern_dotmac]

We fiddle while Rome burns. Wonderful.

[nishinhot]

A really unprofessional piece of work as well, I must add !!

Surprisingly, I haven't seen anyone comment on the transparent / ghostly "dialog box" that appears in the
second (Polish) version of the picture. The dialog box appears between the on the right hand side of the picture, between the boxes titled "Overview and Self Assessment". It is titled "Snipping Tool" ...

Spotted it ??

[wjsteele]

The Snipping Tool is included with Windows to allow someone to cut and paste portions of a screen into other applications or save them as images.

[serverd]

I type this with the utmost sarcasm but what about the possibility that Microsoft was actually looking at how many White Males and Macs are in their advertising and just realized they are being left out and wanted to be PC for equal opportunity and just decided to throw em in there....When the add hits the Middle East and South America just wait for the color combinations to come. The fact the guy is black maybe means nothing. Maybe Microsoft thought that they need to throw a Mac in there to show people they make products for them too. Just maybe the whole situation is backwards and they were trying to do the right thing. Of course we all actually know it is not about racism but a target market; however, it is more interesting making it about race since people respond to it.... imagine if the article?s title was ?Marketing 101 for international business?.... would we be talking about it? No. I would say the real issue here is that the Asian guy has no technological device what so ever and I find that offensive. What, they don't trust the Asian guy; think he can't figure it out?

[funkball]

I think I'm more concerned with the first man's disproportionately large head that dwarfs his body... and that's NOT the photoshop edit. "I'm not kidding. That's thing's like Sputnik. Spherical but quite pointy in parts... Heed! Pants! Now!". The size almost makes it look like the original body has a photoshopped head.

Maybe it was.... Hmmmm.....