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Apple Honors Mandela on Home Page

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Re: Apple Honors Mandela on Home Page

#11

Post by asdfs »

kunai wrote: post #8
kristopolous wrote: post #4

Reminds me of the "Think different" campaign when they tried to peddle off electronics by coopting public domain images of famous people --- making it look like that they would be consumers of overpriced shiny gadgets. Ghandi totally would have had an iPad air.

Google: "Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela: 1918-2013" on homepage. Reaction: Little fanfare. Apple: "Nelson Mandela: 1918-2013" on homepage with b/w photo. Reaction: OH MY GOD. APPLE IS NOW HONORING A HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS. LET'S ALL ORGANIZE A LYNCH MOB AND CONDEMN THIS INHUMAN BEHAVIOR!!!1

Google has a pretty large news presence, and a history of both remarking on notable anniversaries via doodles, and posting relevant news in small text on its home page. It's much more in line with Google's history.

Re: Apple Honors Mandela on Home Page

#12

Post by philwelch »

asdfs wrote: post #11
kunai wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google: "Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela: 1918-2013" on homepage. Reaction: Little fanfare. Apple: "Nelson Mandela: 1918-2013" on homepage with b/w photo. Reaction: OH MY GOD. APPLE IS NOW HONORING A HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS. LET'S ALL ORGANIZE A LYNCH MOB AND CONDEMN THIS INHUMAN BEHAVIOR!!!1

Google has a pretty large news presence, and a history of both remarking on notable anniversaries via doodles, and posting relevant news in small text on its home page. It's much more in line with Google's history.

Apple was honoring people like Mandela since before Google was a company.

Re: Apple Honors Mandela on Home Page

#13

Post by amartya916 »

kristopolous wrote: post #4

Reminds me of the "Think different" campaign when they tried to peddle off electronics by coopting public domain images of famous people --- making it look like that they would be consumers of overpriced shiny gadgets. Ghandi totally would have had an iPad air.

Why this cynicism? Do you think that Apple is going to sell a single extra iPad because of this?

As far as I know, the only time they've had a person on their homepage was when Jobs passed away. Is it that hard to imagine that it might just be that the company admires Nelson Mandela?

Re: Apple Honors Mandela on Home Page

#14

Post by swang »

philwelch wrote: post #12
asdfs wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google has a pretty large news presence, and a history of both remarking on notable anniversaries via doodles, and posting relevant news in small text on its home page. It's much more in line with Google's history.

Apple was honoring people like Mandela since before Google was a company.

Okay I'll bite since I don't know this. Like who?

Re: Apple Honors Mandela on Home Page

#15

Post by sparkie »

myrandomcomment wrote: post #10

Sometimes you just have to take things at face value. Maybe, just maybe Apple and Google are trying to honor a great man.

They're not "honoring" him, and they're not trying either.

Mandela stood against inequality and injustice, which these corporate giants are massive facilitators of. Apple in particular exploit the very people who produce their products in China, while sitting on vast wealth. As global inequality is on the rise, record profits are announced, and despite their position to make a real positive effect on humanity, increasing shareholders profits comes first.

While they stick up a nice picture or some text of a great man on their webpages, they stand for completely the opposite. They've completely failed to honor anything about the man, or his ideals.

If they wanted to honor him, they could for example, boycott Israel, or doing at least make an effort to actually put an end apartheid.

Re: Apple Honors Mandela on Home Page

#16

Post by pedalpete »

kunai wrote: post #8
kristopolous wrote: post #4

Reminds me of the "Think different" campaign when they tried to peddle off electronics by coopting public domain images of famous people --- making it look like that they would be consumers of overpriced shiny gadgets. Ghandi totally would have had an iPad air.

Google: "Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela: 1918-2013" on homepage. Reaction: Little fanfare. Apple: "Nelson Mandela: 1918-2013" on homepage with b/w photo. Reaction: OH MY GOD. APPLE IS NOW HONORING A HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS. LET'S ALL ORGANIZE A LYNCH MOB AND CONDEMN THIS INHUMAN BEHAVIOR!!!1

It's about taste. You're comparing a likely barely noticeable line on Google's homepage to a near shill tactic in your face 'look at us we've got Mandela on our homepage'.

If Coca-cola started putting Mandela on it's cans, would you be as supportive? They are using the death of an incredible figure as a promotional tool.

Re: Apple Honors Mandela on Home Page

#17

Post by pfranz »

amartya916 wrote: post #13
kristopolous wrote: post #4

Reminds me of the "Think different" campaign when they tried to peddle off electronics by coopting public domain images of famous people --- making it look like that they would be consumers of overpriced shiny gadgets. Ghandi totally would have had an iPad air.

Why this cynicism? Do you think that Apple is going to sell a single extra iPad because of this? As far as I know, the only time they've had a person on their homepage was when Jobs passed away. Is it that hard to imagine that it might just be that the company admires Nelson Mandela?

I specifically remember George Harrison and Rosa Parks in addition to Steve Jobs.

Re: Apple Honors Mandela on Home Page

#18

Post by adamnemecek »

amartya916 wrote: post #13
kristopolous wrote: post #4

Reminds me of the "Think different" campaign when they tried to peddle off electronics by coopting public domain images of famous people --- making it look like that they would be consumers of overpriced shiny gadgets. Ghandi totally would have had an iPad air.

Why this cynicism? Do you think that Apple is going to sell a single extra iPad because of this? As far as I know, the only time they've had a person on their homepage was when Jobs passed away. Is it that hard to imagine that it might just be that the company admires Nelson Mandela?

Maybe not directly but it sure does feel like they are 'whoring out' his image in order to build up their brand.

Re: Apple Honors Mandela on Home Page

#19

Post by derefr »

xarball wrote: post #2

More like "Apple markets on website by appealing to public figure". I don't see how this is relevant? Can we link to the public figure rather than apple? :/

Corporations are sociopathic entities; it's a given that everything they do serves their self-interest in some way or another. Knowing this, all that's worth remarking on is what they do (and whether that action is, in all consequence, a good thing for the world), not the motivations behind it.

I think splashing Mandella's face on one more screen is probably (some puny amount of) net positive, if it by chance gets a few more people to read up on what he was about. Of course there's something in it for Apple; otherwise they wouldn't be doing it. Otherwise no corporation would do it. The point is what's in it for everyone else.

Re: Apple Honors Mandela on Home Page

#20

Post by amartya916 »

pfranz wrote: post #17
amartya916 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why this cynicism? Do you think that Apple is going to sell a single extra iPad because of this? As far as I know, the only time they've had a person on their homepage was when Jobs passed away. Is it that hard to imagine that it might just be that the company admires Nelson Mandela?

I specifically remember George Harrison and Rosa Parks in addition to Steve Jobs.

Thanks for the correction, I didn't realize that was the case. That being said, I just don't see how this is "whoring out" (as adamnemecek points out), when the simpler explanation is that this is their way of paying an homage to a great man.
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