“After the devastating quake in Japan that resulted in thousands of deaths and even more without a home, companies around their world did their part in raising money for the relief effort. While the majority made immediate donations to the Red Cross, Microsoft’s Bing decided to make a little game out of it,” Mike Schuster reports for Minyanville. “Yes. Rather than donating a flat $100,000 to the relief effort, Bing turned the Japan quake into an advertising game and had each retweet link directly to Microsoft’s site. And if the retweets fell below 100K, well, sorry Japan. Them’s the breaks.”
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“And four months after apologizing for the gaffe and donating $100K without the lottery, Microsoft has once again showed staggering insensitivity in the midst of a tragedy,” Schuster reports. “Over the weekend, following singer Amy Winehouse’s death, Microsoft’s PR account for Xbox 360 suggested that fans remember the talent the right way: by buying her hit album Back to Black at the online Zune store.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: If you’re going to read just one thing about Amy Winehouse, make it Russell Brand’s “For Amy” here (slow due to heavy traffic, but it will eventually load).
MacDailyNews Note: Among several rotating masthead announcements, Apple’s iTunes Store does have one with a photo of Winehouse and the title “Remembering Amy Winehouse” which takes you to her artist page in iTunes Store.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Ellis D.” for the heads up.]
(I don’t listen to much music… just getting that out there first)
I don’t know who she was, or ever heard anything she did…
“Over the weekend, following singer Amy Winehouse’s death, Microsoft’s PR account for Xbox 360 suggested that fans remember the talent the right way: by buying her hit album Back to Black at the online Zune store.”
I don’t care WHO it is… that is just wrong.
Apple and Amazon both advertised over her death
yeah, that’s the first thing I thought.
There’s a big difference between telling people who are already in your store, vs. taking advantage of the situation to tell people to go visit your store. Microsoft is on the wrong side of that line in this situation.
I don’t trust people who do t listen to music. Same way I’ve learned not to trust guys who don’t even pretend to like football. That SHYTE just ain’t natural.
You probably don’t watch tv either do ya? just better ‘an everybody else eh?
Do you mean soccer-football or football-football?
ahhhhhhhhhhhh……football is football… and soccer is gay.
any sport where you play to a 0-0 final score is asinine.
but in general yeah soccer too–I mean come on!
The only thing proven here is that you are a complete douche.
Seems like it is you who have made judgments n are acting on them. Do you feel insecure when someone is different to you?
^ neither – Aussie Rules
no I’m just saying there’s a general across the board character flaw i’ve witnessed among guys who don’t like football and people who don’t like music–I MEAN HOW IN THE HELL DO YOU NOT LIKE MUSIC!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!
Does breathing annoy you as well!!!?!?
Must be autistic.
You’re an idiot.
I second that. And I’ll bet he never played a down in his life!
And your full name is Bubba Taylor?
It’s called capitalism, Apple did the same by posting ads for Amy Winehouse’s album on iTunes.
There is a difference between posting her picture on the scrolling itunes banners at the top of the itunes store saying “Remembering Amy Winehouse” Which i just saw..
and “Remember Amy, GO BUY HER ALBUM FROM US. it’s the BEST way to remember her”
Amazon’s page has links to her albums. but their biography page doesn’t tell you to remember her by buying her music..
MS did. and that’s the wrong way.
Apple and amazon are not trying to blatantly make money over the death. Both apple and amazon are doing the same thing really, but at least Amazon does have an article to go along with their page. apple doesn’t.
of the 3, i’d say Amazon doing the better of the 3. Apple 2nd just because they don’t offer anything past the “remembering” banner.
MS is just wrong here..
(only commenting on what i see from the one’s you mention. like i said i’m an outsider here, i don’t follow music)
It’s one thing to include it among the rotating banners in the iTunes Store – if you see the banner in the iTunes Store, well, you’re already in iTunes. Apple didn’t have to lure you in.
What Microsoft PR did was tweet the following: “Remember Amy Winehouse by downloading the ground-breaking “Back to Black” over at Zune”. Basically, they’re trying to hustle traffic over to their Zune store on the back of Winehouse’s death.
Now, if Apple had tweeted about it like Microsoft did, or done a blog post or PR statement, then they’d be in the same boat as Microsoft. But they didn’t.
The difference between the two seems pretty clear to me.
Apple made a fortune in the iTunes Store after Michael Jackson’s untimely death. Nothing different here with Amy Winehouse.
I love Apple products as much as the next guy… but it is a little silly to act outraged by Microsoft trying to capitalize on her death when Apple is doing the same thing. If you are truly angry – be angry at Amazon, Apple and Microsoft.
I click on itunes and Amy’s banner is the first one nice and large.
Subtle differences, but very subtle.
True. Glass houses, guys.
I am sorry, having an Amy Winehouse banner in your store (like amazon and Apple do) is a far cry from push soliciting “Come to our store and remember Amy by buying her new album” If you don’t see that distinction you are either clueless or being purposely obtuse.
Did Microsoft ever lay out the terms of their contracts with the labels? Apple did and if we remember correctly Apple keeps 3 cents of every dollar for songs on iTunes, that’s less than most nonprofits including the Red Cross. Not exactly capitalism on Apple’s part, considering the majority of the proceeds goes to the Winehouse estate.
“They wanted me to switch to Windows,
And I said ‘No, no, no…”
Best comment of the day.
That’s just wrong. Funny, but wrong!!
I have not seen the Microsoft X-Box promo, nor the treatment on iTunes, BUT I can say these things are a matter of taste. If the Apple and Microsoft methods, as mentioned in the article and MDN’s take are accurate, then Apple’s method is lightyears more tasteful than the Microsoft’s. Face it, there is renewed interest in the work of any recently passed artist. There is a big difference between making a link to the artist’s body of work easy to find (billboard on iTunes) and a tactless call to buy something as the proper way to “remember” the artist (MS).
exactly.
Amazon’s/Apple’s pages are a heck of a lot more tasteful.
I didn’t see the MS thing, till i clicked on the Link at the end of the article. Yeah, how the 360 crew did it is bad…
Agreed – Apple simply included it among the rotating banners that people who already visit the iTunes Store will see. Microsoft put it in a tweet to tell people to go visit their Zune store.
It’s the difference between telling people who are already in your store, vs. taking advantage of the situation to tell people to go to your store.
Night and day difference.
Here, Here, Spark! Agreed. The difference is in the execution.
During the tsunami disaster in Japan, Apple did everything it could for its employees in Japan. That is how a company should react to these kinds of things.
And Winehouse albums make up most of the iTunes top 10. Consumer behaviour is so predictable.
There’s still a Zune store???
Who fscking cares. She was a coke head and now she’s dead. If they want to push a few more records because of this who fscking cares. It’s not as if any of us wear a fscking halo on our heads. Give it up ok. No one gives a shit – it’s called making money. If you don’t like it fsck off to Pyongyang and see how you like it there.
So American. And you wonder why people in Europe and beyond hold the views of Americans that they do.
Ever read BLN’s posts before?
Nah, didn’t think so 🙂
Ever wonder Americans have those views, Mr. Devil?
Don’t hold back Left One, tell us how you really feel.
He’s not yelling us what he feels, jhe hasn’t the balls for that.
Many people actually do care.
Amy wasn’t perfect nor are we and if you can’t be respectful, go off to Pyongyang as you suggest. I’m sure the government cares as much as you do. You may fit right in.
No, you don’t care. Like I don’t care what you think. You are a xenophobic humorless nonentity. Meanwhile we of the Hawley Arms will mourn one of our own.
For once I agree with BLN. That broad was just another spoiled, brain dead dope-sucker. No great loss to humanity; now if more of her kind would follow in her footsteps maybe the drug cartels would cease to exist.
You’re an idiot. Yes, every addict makes a choice to try a drug or alcohol, or to consume to the point where it consumes them. But let’s not forget that these things are designed to do exactly that – get you uncontrollably hooked and coming back for more.
Read Russell Brand’s piece. It’s spot on perfect. Don’t hate Amy Winehouse for what she did to herself. It is a tragedy that anyone has to succumb to these chemicals, albeit self-inflicted. But others are hurt also. There’s no need to be an insensitive ass about it.
I’m not insensitive to those who are deserving. Yeah, these drugs have the capability of addiction, and anyone with an I.Q. over 10 points knows that. But, they go ahead and do it anyway just to get a buzz.
I don’t hate Amy Winehouse or any other doper, but I don’t feel sorry for them either. I do feel sorry for all of the innocent victims of the drug cartels who are being slaughtered, all because a bunch of dimwits want to get a nut off and escape reality. They made their bed, now let them die in it.
You have no concept of addiction nor why most people use.
I hope the people around you aren’t as ridiculous about your addictions.
Fose Thucking Sock Cuckers!!!!!
Thankfully they couldn’t find a way to monetize the Norwegian tragedy.
MDN got it right on the blog from Russell Brand. Very well done. Not a eulogy or a slam. Just from the heart.
Yes, thanks MDN for the Brand link.
Russell Brand is an idiot. Why anyone would want to read anything from or about him is beyond logic. Apple is, too, capitalizing on her death. I open iTunes and what do I see? A giant picture of her. So be it.
Wait, don’t tell me… Microsoft’s latest ad,
“Here’s to the crazy ones………..”
*facepalm
lack of self control is not a disease
No, but the drugs lodge in your tissues and periodically restimulate the insatiable craving for more, and THAT becomes the life of the person. I don’t have sympathy, but I agree with Russell Brand in that helping people recover is a far, far better use of our resources than prison (where they can get the drugs anyway).
The only problem is the addict has to truly want to quit, and many give great lip service to that.
Ed… Not a flame here, but addiction has little to do with self control. Seriously.
they wouldn’t have gotten addicted if they had self control, which includes knowing who to hang out with. When someone pulls out some coke, heroin, etc in front of you, then you should know its time to turn and walk away
Russell Brand is an idiot. Why would anyone want to read anything from or about him. Please.
Amy WHO?! as in who cares,as in get over it. I forgot about her UNTILL you all wrote about her. Her music wasn’t and she isn’t worth talking about, ever.
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