“The company has launched a brand-new anti-marketing scheme across its Zune group headquarters – an iPod Amnesty Bin. Employees are meant to dutifully drop their music players into the bin, and run hot-foot to the company store to buy themselves a Zune (also available in, erm, brown),” Evans reports. “And they aren’t doing it.”
Evans writes, “The fact of the matter here is that by attempting to coerce employees into abandoning the world’s favourite music player, Microsoft is actually showing how very popular the iPod has become – and the fact employees aren’t playing ball reinforces the notion that Microsoft has lost this battle for good.”
Full article, with link to image of an “iPod Amnesty Bin,” here.
Of course, the obvious point about Ballmer not letting his children have iPods is this simple fact:
Given the choice, his own children WANTED an iPod, not a Zune!
Ballmer can change behaviors, but he can;t change their minds…
Actually, I thought it was pretty funny. Maybe the blogger has no sense of humor.
Keep in mind that this is at their corporate office in Mountain View, CA. It’s not like they’re putting these things in stores or anything like that. As a developer, I’ve seen all sorts of entertaining displays in offices against the “enemy” (ie, whoever you’re competing with): Pictures of Photoshop with a big NOT symbol through it, etc.
It’s cute. I like the picture of the apple and the words “Bite me!” underneath. It’s funny.
Zune Tang is back!!!
I have an idea. I’ll buy a Zune, drop it in the bin in trade for any iPods that might be in it. Take the iPods, nurse them back to health and sell them on eBay. I’ll easily make back the cost of the Zune on the proceeds from one of the iPods. I wonder if anyone would pay more than a couple of bucks for a used Zune?
Maybe if Microsoft offered to exchange employee iPods for a new special-edition Zune in puke green?
After Steve forgets to cut off his iPhone and it rings and he answers it during his upcoming sit down with Bill Gates, he should look over and say “bite this!”
oh look, it’s a Windows PC amnesty bin!
How about a Vista Amnesty Container
@ Zune Tang
Lies, all lies. What do you expect from Macworld U.K.?
Garbage cans (that’s rubbish bin for my friends in the U.K.) are full of crappy little iPods. Why? Nobody really wants Apple’s Zune wannabe. Does the iPod have FM built-in? No? I rest my case. Zune now and forever.
Your potential. Our passion.™
Shout more and chop off the trademark sign (™) if you want to be a better Zune Tang impersonator. NEXT!!
@ akerbs
Zune Tang is back!!!
The real Zune Tang never put a trademark sign with “Your potential. Our passion.”
MW: planning … whatever that means
It would be interesting to see how many people scuttle their iPods for a Zune. I hope that Microsoft installs a live web cam so the whole world can watch the bin be filled, empties, and filled again.
I’m sure it would suffice for Apple to offer to recycle a zune free of charge for any iPod purchaser.
-jcr
I’m sure it would suffice for Apple to offer to recycle a zune free of charge for any iPod purchaser.
-jcr
I’m sure it would suffice for Apple to offer to recycle a zune free of charge for any iPod purchaser.
-jcr
I’m sure it would suffice for Apple to offer to recycle a zune free of charge for any iPod purchaser.
-jcr
Somebody with an inside connection to one of the big news producers, CNN, NBC, whatever, should get this to them as a fluff story. If the general public, that is non-geeks, and even those of here who don’t consider ourselves real geeks, could see these antics first hand, I think it would further serve to show the real character of MS. (As if sueing your costumer base is not good enough.)
Who is seriously going to give up their iPod for a … Zune ?
MS should be more afraid that Apple will put a bin in every Best Buy, Future Shop, Walmart, Target etc and offer a $25 rebate for every Zune deposited and replaced with an iPod.
mw – “lost” as in “MS is has lost it”
Lol, this is hilarious…shows how desperate and low level Microshaft has actually gotten these days. If I were to make a PC amnesty box…and then re-sell the parts, Im pretty sure I’d be a multi-millionaire in a matter of few days. Thats how much the world has come to realize about the REAL Microsoft…and their tainted, uncompetitive, shady, and just piss poor marketing practices. The future doesn’t look good for Microsoft, so wel’ll see…which dumpster this multi-billion dollar company ends in.
This is an awesome idea!
I am a sales manager at a Honda dealership, and I just had an epiphany… I call it, Toyota Amnesty Bin!
like gravity and the rise of the sun, nice to see we can rely on Zune Tang.
btw, I hope to God that I have more potential than MS has passion!!
I can say I have never actually seen a Zune with my own eyes. That is until last week on a plane trip. I us military enlisted man was dutifully listening to his Zune. I actually felt bad enough, that I even considered gifting him my new 80GB video iPod. Then common sense prevailed and I let him listen on.
Man is that brown piece of junk ugly. I now better understand the Zune in toilet photo appearing in MDN regularly.