It took me a second to spot it when I was told to compare the images on the English and Polish versions of their Business Productivity tools. At first I just saw three smiling Generic Corporate People, enjoying a Highly Productive Meeting while they look at Charts And Graphs. I noticed slightly different menu options, and then I spotted the a change that is pointless, unless you are a marketer whose only interest in diversity is as a tool for driving sales:
The U.S. Version:
The Polish Version:
Joking aside, who was edited out? The white dude or the black dude? Neither option has good implications. Oops, Microsoft! Looks like your focus group spent a little too much time thinking about digital affirmative action and not quite enough time on thinking about ways to make me care about your products.
Please submit your votes. Which head was photoshopped on? White or black?
on Aug 25th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
I’m going white was shopped in. Not only is it not really proportional and at an odd angle, but also the hands are a give away.
on Aug 25th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
I agree; the white guy is p-shopped. Head is at a very weird angle and it doesn’t match the hands.
on Jan 11th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
bwhahahahahahaaa! seriously? the white dude doesn’t even look real. wow. yes, his head is such an odd angle he doesn’t look right. although i must say that wearing a hat at faire gives me dark hands and keep my pasty facial complexion. yet somehow, i don’t think that’s what happened here.
i’m still laughing.