[The Revolution]

Take a look at the two websites....


Default version -
http://www.microsoft.com/businesspro...y/default.mspx

Polish version -
http://www.microsoft.com/poland/busi...y/default.mspx


Both are excactly the same except that they removed the head of the black man in the polish version and photoshopped in a white guy’s head instead. They also forgot to remove the black mans hand

Such a poor effort.

[c0lefax]

Not sure if I should feel bad or what but that made me laugh
Oh.. open two windows and flick between the two quickly, it's fun!

[Nine Bob Note]

Frankly, I'm amazed Microsoft didn't pull this the very SECOND they knew people had spotted it. This is gonna be making the news tomorrow morning.

[f_196]

Must admit i chuckled a little - but that is really suspicous.

[Ovalteenie]

Which is the original picture? Both versions of the middle guy's head look rather unnatural.

edit: It's okay I've decided the white guy's head on the Polish version is definitely fake, very odd angle & proportion & doesn't match his hand as the OP pointed out

Originally Posted by Nine Bob Note

Frankly, I'm amazed Microsoft didn't pull this the very SECOND they knew people had spotted it. This is gonna be making the news tomorrow morning.

Someone do a screengrab quick

[bean999]

It's happened before. I don't think it's racist, just crass. There aren't many black people in Poland, it doesn't make sense to sell products on the basis that there are.

Actually you could say it would be rather arrogant if microsoft assumed that all countries in the world had the demographic of the US, presumably it's to avoid that assumption that they made the change.

[GoodMikey]

the woman looks more tanned on the polish one.. maybe it's just moi

[Ezenden]

Originally Posted by bean999

It's happened before. I don't think it's racist, just crass. There aren't many black people in Poland, it doesn't make sense to sell products on the basis that there are.

Actually you could say it would be rather arrogant if microsoft assumed that all countries in the world had the demographic of the US, presumably it's to avoid that assumption that they made the change.

That reasoning doesn't stick. I don't think there are many East Asians in Poland either, but the man on the left hasn't been edited out.

There's a quite obvious sociological reason why they felt the need to exclude the black man and not the Asian, but that's a great big can of worms which i can't be bothered going into.

[bean999]

Originally Posted by Ezenden

That reasoning doesn't stick. I don't think there are many East Asians in Poland either, but the man on the left hasn't been edited out.

There's a quite obvious sociological reason why they felt the need to exclude the black man and not the Asian, but that's a great big can of worms which i can't be bothered going into.

The reasoning sticks perfectly well. Being, that it's Microsoft's website. It's their decision how they market their products to Poland.

The OP should have written: does MS think Poland is racist, or does Microsoft just think Poles are basically white.

Consider this: if there was no photo-editing, just a different picture of three 'Polish-looking people' sitting in an office, would you have the same objection?

[summerain]

Originally Posted by c0lefax

Not sure if I should feel bad or what but that made me laugh
Oh.. open two windows and flick between the two quickly, it's fun!

I just tried that, he has a wobbly head

[Ezenden]

Originally Posted by bean999

The reasoning sticks perfectly well. Being, that it's Microsoft's website. It's their decision how they market their products to Poland.

The OP should have written: does MS think Poland is racist, or does Microsoft just think Poles are basically white.

Consider this: if there was no photo-editing, just a different picture of three 'Polish-looking people' sitting in an office, would you have the same objection?

You've completely missed or ignored my point.

Using your logic of "There aren't many black people in Poland, it doesn't make sense to sell products on the basis that there are. " then the Asian man should also have been edited out. So your reasoning does not stick.

If it was "three Polish looking people" or they'd edited the photo to make everyone "Polish looking" then i wouldn't object. Demographic marketing is basic advertising and for that exact reason, the Asian man should also have been edited out.

There's more to this particular photo than relating the subjects to the audience. It's clear the issue seen by Microsoft's photo editor is a black man in the photo, and the audiences reaction, not they're not all Polish looking and the audiences reaction.

Either the editor made a blunder in leaving the Asian man in, or it was a concious decision to specifically remove the black man.

[bean999]

I failed to find the older instance of this happening (the paint advert), but here's a lengthy discussion about the OP's pics on another site:

Why has Microsoft photoshopped this?

[FortyTwo25]

Interesting

[bean999]

Originally Posted by Ezenden

You've completely missed or ignored my point.

Using your logic of "There aren't many black people in Poland, it doesn't make sense to sell products on the basis that there are. " then the Asian man should also have been edited out. So your reasoning does not stick.

If it was "three Polish looking people" or they'd edited the photo to make everyone "Polish looking" then i wouldn't object. Demographic marketing is basic advertising and for that exact reason, the Asian man should also have been edited out.

Nonsense. You've ignored my point. It's microsoft's decision. Criticize microsoft. Yes, it's odd that they left the Asian man, maybe they thought one edit would be enough. They're evidently lazy or they wouldn't have used a stock photograph to begin with.

[ustarion]

I'm sorry but in the main those eastern block countries are generally more racist (or ignorant) than the West.

[Ezenden]

Originally Posted by bean999

Nonsense. You've ignored my point. It's microsoft's decision. Criticize microsoft. Yes, it's odd that they left the Asian man, maybe they thought one edit would be enough. They're evidently lazy or they wouldn't have used a stock photograph to begin with.

Obviously it's Microsoft's decision, where have i implied otherwise? Microsoft is exactly who i'm criticising.

[f_196]

As someone has pointed out, isn't the head changing middle man using a Mac ?

[geoffSF]

Originally Posted by c0lefax

Not sure if I should feel bad or what but that made me laugh
Oh.. open two windows and flick between the two quickly, it's fun!

Love it. hahaha

[lexy_86]

There's no such thing as a racist country- there are racists individuals in every country. Yes even this one!

I went to Poland last year, and had a fab time, no problems whatsoever.

The only thing I can think of is that some of the children were fascinated with us, as they had clearly never met a real, live, black person before who wasn't on Polish MTV (which funnily enough had a black presenter at the time). But then that is how children behave when they haven't seen something before and not something that I would percieve to be racist. I know others may have had totally different experiences while there but I can only speak for me and I had no issues while there.

TBH- I think this says more about Microsoft than it does about Poland and its' people, and I think it's unfair to suggest that Poland is racist because of Microsofts' piss-poor marketing.

I mean look at the images, they didn't even use photoshop properly the new head is WAY out of proportion with the body. He's using a MAC computer, and still has a black hand!

I can't even take that shit seriously!

[FMDJ]

I guess Microsoft are just trying to better reflect the country they are targeting. Really don't think it's racism no one would bat an eye lid if they changed the pictures of the Chinese market.

[Ænima]

Poland has some nice ladies.

[chinchin]

Picture is now the same on both sites!

[Sidespin Nid]

I'm wetting myself here The second pic looks ridiculous , the guy looks like he has an abnormally large head!

[the_saint_2005]

The Polish one has a black guy in it. Perhaps MS have noticed now? Did anybody get a screengrab?

[chinchin]

Originally Posted by bean999

I failed to find the older instance of this happening (the paint advert), but here's a lengthy discussion about the OP's pics on another site:

Why has Microsoft photoshopped this?

You can still see the altered version on bean's link (above)