Just when I was ready to give Microsoft kudos for taking the high road in its advertising, they go and do something stupid. Let me start by saying that I get the point of global advertising and the fact that you will probably need to adjust your ad to fit the markets in which it is running, but that still is not an excuse for sloppiness.

The original image, which ran in the US, showed an Asian man, a black man, and a white woman around a conference table. However, in the version running in Poland, the same photo appeared with a white man’s head pasted over the black man. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the photoshopping was a tad sloppy – the black man’s hand is still there. Microsoft has since apologized and taken down the photo.

Nothing Like a Public Health Scare to Move Products
Thanks to the H1N1 coverage, antibacterial products are flying off of store shelves as kids head back to school. As you’ll recall, Swine Flu coverage peaked in the spring, but quickly died down in May when the virus did not prove to be as deadly as previously thought. Thanks to google searches for products effective against H1N1, now that kids are heading back to school, supply lists around the country are including antibacterial wipes, gels, etc, from Lysol and Chlorox. Wonder where I can get a deal on surgical masks?

A Classic Cautionary Tale

I’ve always been a big fan of PSA’s, after school specials, and the like, and this PSA from the Gwent Police Department is an extremely disturbing and graphic depiction of why texting and driving is a bad idea. (Warning: not safe for viewing by children)