Microsoft Poland whitens a black face in its advert

Piorun:

This is true for my country as much as for yours, as for the rest you're generalizing it, not basing it an anything concrete, jut repeating the stereotype. As it is your opinion that's fine, I could also make a general statement about your countrymen here but I wont.

mvefaThreads: 11 Posts: 972 Joined: Jul 21, 09	Aug 26, 09, 17:44 / #
Piorun: This is true for my country as much as for yours, as for the rest you're generalizing it, not basing it an anything concrete, jut repeating the stereotype. As it is your opinion that's fine, I could also make a general statement about your countrymen here but I wont. Dude this has nothing to do with stereotyping, it is facts, more racial attacks happen in Russia, Spain, Poland, than in France, Holland, Sweden (for example) I cannot open the links cause they are blocked at work...but i will post them when im home.

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 [Suspended]	Aug 26, 09, 17:54 / #
Piorun: And more of the same, yet still denying this fact. Tell you what, send your mother and/or your sister over (in all probably your mother and sister are the same person) and I'll prove to her that I can not be a Jew.

PiorunThreads: - Posts: 741 Joined: Nov 11, 07	Edited by: Piorun Aug 26, 09, 17:55 / #
mvefa: I cannot open the links cause they are blocked at work...but i will post them when im home What links are those, the statistics are always manipulated especially now when big corporations want multiculturalism because they are in mead of cheap labor force. Commies used to say the same thing about the west, how west discriminates their own citizens of colour contrasting it with how people on this side of the Iron curtain live in harmony, blowing every incident out of proportion. Have you not heard of propaganda. It's in someones interest to do so, although it's not a complete lie it is exaggerated and blown out of proportion. Harry: Tell you what, send your mother and/or your sister over (in all probably your mother and sister are the same person) and I'll prove to her that I can not be a Jew. You can't, I remember reading here about the bars you frequent, so I know for a fact that you do not fancy women.

mvefaThreads: 11 Posts: 972 Joined: Jul 21, 09	Edited by: mvefa Aug 26, 09, 18:04 / #
off course i've heard about propaganda and i dont let myself be manipulated by it. If i had this thing of west/east, i would have not included Spain on my list,, would i?

PiorunThreads: - Posts: 741 Joined: Nov 11, 07	Aug 26, 09, 18:11 / #
mvefa: If i had this thing of west/east, i would have not included Spain on my list, would i? Not so long ago Spain used to be to you what East European nations are now. I used to watch Fawlty Towers too you know.

mvefaThreads: 11 Posts: 972 Joined: Jul 21, 09	Edited by: mvefa Aug 26, 09, 18:14 / #
Piorun: Not so long ago Spain used to be to you what East European nations are now. I used to watch Fawlty Towers too you know. hahaha whatever dude, there is no way to discuss with you...your ideas are set and they are not changing even if they bash 3500 in front of your very eyes, you will still be saying the media created a hologram to make you think it happened in real..

PiorunThreads: - Posts: 741 Joined: Nov 11, 07	Aug 26, 09, 18:18 / #
You might be right about that, but on the other hand if it was so common how come I have not seen it with my own eyes or come to think of it have you? Or is it that you just read about it in a paper or internet article?

mvefaThreads: 11 Posts: 972 Joined: Jul 21, 09	Aug 26, 09, 18:28 / #
heard about cases from friends, seen it on the news, youtube, newspapers, statistical reports. Not all of them must be lying right?

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 [Suspended]	Aug 26, 09, 18:31 / #
Piorun: I remember reading here about the bars you frequent, so I know for a fact that you do not fancy women. Are you trying for a full set of the all-time classic Polish debating techniques? Here, ladies and gentlemen, we have what is known as the 'I can't argue against the facts my opponent is presenting, so I'm just going to claim that he's gay' approach. Such a skillful move, isn't it?

PiorunThreads: - Posts: 741 Joined: Nov 11, 07	Edited by: Piorun Aug 26, 09, 18:38 / #
I'm sure you did, but what did you hear about what's going on in Rwanda and Darfur or any other region in Africa where hundreds die every day. I bet not as much because it's in no ones interest to do so, if they did they might even be obligated to help and what kind of business is that when you give away something for free. These are more pressing issues which are conveniently ignored by big business, media and therefore by general population of the western world. Like anyone gives a dam?

SzwedwPolsceThreads: 13 Posts: 1,915 Joined: Feb 21, 09	Aug 26, 09, 19:30 / #
The Poles I talked to today about this was just laughing at Microsoft.

Lir	Aug 26, 09, 19:30 / #
Harry: Now we can find out: Microsoft have changed it back I wonder whether it was a cheap marketing gimmick to get as much free publicity as they could for whatever they are advertising. I hate Microsoft lol........ Long live Apple and the MAC ! :) :)

sledzThreads: 29 Posts: 3,202 Joined: Sep 19, 06	Edited by: sledz Aug 26, 09, 22:42 / #
If they did that in the USA Jesse jackson and the rainbow coalition would boycott them. Al sharpton wouldnt be far behind inciting some racial protest or riot. $hi.t would hit the fan for sure:)

ShawnHThreads: 9 Posts: 3,056 Joined: Jul 2, 09	Aug 27, 09, 01:30 / #
Any Mac owners in the crowd? The laptop looks like a Mac, no?

aphrodisiacThreads: 22 Posts: 3,998 Joined: Apr 15, 09	Aug 26, 09, 18:38 / #
this post is not about east/west/PC. It is about removing a person of colour from the add. Piorun - you are too defensive to be taken seriously to be honest. I am not sure why you are questioning Harry/mvefa since they both seem to know about the subject/expressing their opinions?

Lir	Aug 26, 09, 19:16 / #
Harry: Microsoft I find it hilarious, especially now the there is a Black American President. Does that mean he will have to have his face whitened if he visits Poland........ Only a complete jerk would have changed that advert. I don't believe the majority of Polish people would have been offended by it.

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 [Suspended]	Aug 26, 09, 19:29 / #
Lir: I don't believe the majority of Polish people would have been offended by it. Now we can find out: Microsoft have changed it back. http://www.microsoft.com/poland/businessproductivity/default.mspx//

Ozi DanThreads: 22 Posts: 552 Joined: Nov 22, 07	Aug 27, 09, 01:17 / #
Harry: Can't attack the facts so instead attack the person pointing them out. Harry: send your mother and/or your sister over (in all probably your mother and sister are the same person) and I'll prove to her that I can not be a Jew. Try as I might, I can't reconcile these two statements coming from the same person. Can you explain why it's appropriate to suggest words to the effect that the proof or otherwise of your Jewishness requires the presence of Piorun's female family members? Harry: 'I can't argue against the facts my opponent is presenting, What are the facts you present that require counter-argument? Harry: Are they just reflecting Polish society here? What aspect of Polish society do you allege they are reflecting?

scrappletonThreads: - Posts: 1,365 Joined: Apr 28, 09	Edited by: scrappleton Aug 27, 09, 04:43 / #
Lir: I don't believe the majority of Polish people would have been offended by it. They might have not have been offended .. but would they have bought the product? Just recently (since mid 90's) have Blacks been seen in American ads for high ticket items. That has changed as there is a decent sized Black middle class now. Market research probably has shown that Poles might not have bought an expensive product if it is associated with a black person. Is it right? No, but companies invest millions in advertising and they won't to hit the large demographic. And in Poland it sure as hell would not be Africans.

afropolakThreads: - Posts: 8 Joined: Jul 6, 09	Aug 27, 09, 08:20 / #
See this: dziennik.pl/wydarzenia/article436207/Microsoft_dla_Polski_wybielil_cza rnoskorego.html O matko kiedy to zmieny? This country is too racist and the mentality is really bad. Polish people wake up and move along the other EU countries and stop drinking only. YOU ONLY DRINK AND COMPLAIN ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE AND OTHERS WHO ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOU. I used to think the OLD generation is the problem but now its seems but young and old have this useless mentality from no where. WAKE UP POLES WAKE UP.ITS TIME.................

esekThreads: 5 Posts: 269 Joined: Jun 3, 08	Aug 27, 09, 09:29 / #
afropolak: This country is too racist and the mentality is really bad. it has nothing to do with racism... they wanted to have an ad that typical Polish person could identify himself with - it's normal marketing thing. Guess how many Polish people would identify themselves with black person? Not many! Why? Because we're white, almost everyone around us is white and we used to see white people.... and try to understand - this is not racism, we don't have anything against black people... geez, some people are just overreacting.

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 [Suspended]	Edited by: Harry Aug 27, 09, 10:15 / #
Ozi Dan: What are the facts you present that require counter-argument? The fact that Poland has a problem with racism. Ozi Dan: What aspect of Polish society do you allege they are reflecting? The racism that is such a problem in Polish society that a least one major company feels they can not risk having a black face in their adverts. You might know a little about Poland and Polish society if you had ever actually bothered to even visit Poland. But I would quite understand if even after visiting you said that Poland has no problem with racism: as you have repeated demonstrated, you are very happy to racially abuse fellow members of this site. Ozi Dan: Can you explain why it's appropriate to suggest words to the effect that the proof or otherwise of your Jewishness requires the presence of Piorun's female family members? Of course: he repeated tried to insult me and so after repeated provocation he got a reply in kind. What goes around comes around, a lesson that Poles often forget.

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 [Suspended]	Aug 27, 09, 10:27 / #
esek: Guess how many Polish people would identify themselves with black person? Not many! Why? Because they think that white people are superior to black people? Or just because they think that white people are fundamentally different to black people? Or because the most influential priest in the nation describes black people as 'dirty'?

esekThreads: 5 Posts: 269 Joined: Jun 3, 08	Aug 27, 09, 10:34 / #
Harry: Because they think that white people are superior to black people? are you that naive or you really think that this is the truth?

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 [Suspended]	Aug 27, 09, 11:32 / #
esek: are you that naive or you really think that this is the truth? I know that far too many Poles do think that white people are superior to black people.

Ozi DanThreads: 22 Posts: 552 Joined: Nov 22, 07	Aug 27, 09, 11:55 / #
Harry: The fact that Poland has a problem with racism. Sorry, that's an opinion, not a fact. Do review the lesson I gave and seem to have to continue to give you on the differences and nuances between fact and opinion. Now, the facts please... Harry: as you have repeated demonstrated, you are very happy to racially abuse fellow members of this site. This little chestnut on racism again eh? Remember how the English are not a race but a nationality? You didn't understand that until I pointed it out to you and your silly Pommie mates. Do tell me who in particular you allege I have racially abused. Are you still verbally harassing women on the forum? Oh sorry, I forgot, you're now taunting forum members with comments regarding their female family members. Harry: repeated demonstrated repeatedly

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 [Suspended]	Edited by: Harry Aug 27, 09, 12:23 / #
Ozi Dan: Sorry, that's an opinion, not a fact. To you it is an opinion but your opinion is that racism is never a problem. Hence your willingness to racially abuse people here, particularly anybody who you think is English. Ozi Dan: This little chestnut on racism again eh? Remember how the English are not a race but a nationality? You didn't understand that until I pointed it out to you and your silly Pommie mates. And remember how I pointed out that by that logic, it would not be racist to call somebody from Pakistan a "Paki". I'm still waiting for your reply to that. And please note that I'd be more than happy to hold your coat while you walk up to a British policeman of Pakistani origin and say "Excuse me Paki". Ozi Dan: Do tell me who in particular you allege I have racially abused. I don't need to allege anything: your comment "your silly Pommie mates" clearly shows your racial abuse. Ozi Dan: repeatedly Looks very much like my observation about how you would know more about Poland (i.e. actually bother to come here) has struck home. One last thing, did you enjoy watching the Ashes, mate?

frdThreads: 8 Posts: 1,956 Joined: Feb 3, 09	Aug 27, 09, 13:06 / #
It wouldn't have worked anyway, there's a woman in the photo and she's obviously a menager or some sort of a boss. As we all know in Poland women are not allowed to get higher positions then man. This photo would be a cause of laughter in many companies.

dcchrisThreads: 11 Posts: 687 Joined: Oct 29, 07	Aug 27, 09, 15:33 / #
Harry: A lot of people in Poland are racist everywhere people are racist... does anybody know of a nation that doesn't have any racism? ... Its a simple marketing strategy and the guy/woman screwed up by leaving the hand black. Its not racism imo. Do they advertise products in the Congo using white people? I doubt it... Black people are not a significant number of the population in Poland, therefore there is no need to target them in advertising.

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 [Suspended]	Aug 27, 09, 15:45 / #
dcchris: Black people are not a significant number of the population in Poland, therefore there is no need to target them in advertising. There's a slight difference between not targetting them in advertising and removing them from global adverts when such are used in Poland.