Microsoft Can't Even Be Original When It Illegally Advertises
In April and May of 2001, IBM launched a campaign that I personally found to be reprehensible. The company paid guerilla marketing companies to deface sidewalks and other public property with advertisements for its Linux campaign. "Peace, Love, and Linux," was the name of the campaign, and this was symbolized by chalk art and other forms of sidewalk art with a peace symbol, a heart, and Tux, the Linux penguin mascot (we lampooned this campaign in a Reality Check cartoon last year). My problem with that campaign is that IBM was using public resources for its own profit, without permits from the cities they attacked, and without compensating the cities or the public for doing so. It's unethical, and immoral, in my never humble opinion, so perhaps it should come as no surprise that Microsoft has ripped off the idea to promote its MSN service. Microsoft can't even be original when it pursues an illegal advertising campaign. That's really sad. The New York Times reported today that Microsoft had been busted by New York City officials who were not at all pleased with decals of the MSN butterfly that had been placed on many of the Big Apple's public sidewalks, lamp posts, and other public areas. Sound familiar? From the New York Times:
The story also says that Microsoft claimed to have permits for its actions, though company spokespersons declined to back that up. This came just two days after Nike got in trouble for a similar stunt in New York City, though the shoe company glued its decals; Microsoft's butterfly decals were of the peelable type, making them easy to remove. That doesn't make it right, however. IBM eventually paid to have its sidewalk art removed, and Microsoft's advertising agency in charge of the campaign was apparently in the process of removing its decals, but illegally using public resources for profit is not right. Paying to have it fixed later doesn't make it right. Microsoft, like IBM and Nike before it should be ashamed of itself. The biggest thing that makes me shake my head at this absurdity is the irony of how even when Microsoft does such a "daring" thing as public vandalism, it is still copying those that came before it. You can find more in the full story from the New York Times.
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