Microsoft Apologizes for Inappropriate Language in Presentation Song

[rajeesh]

Last week, Microsoft announced various enhancements for its Windows Azure platform, such as a set of new services and overall improvements meant to make the life of developers much easier than before.

The company was very happy with the changes it brought to its cloud-based platform – so happy, in fact, that it took the stage at the Norwegian Developers Conference last week to talk about them.

Apparently, people in the company’s Marketing team considered it fit to celebrate the announcement with a song and an accompanying dance as well, to lighten up the spirits at said conference.

All this was supposed to be a nice, entertaining presentation, but it managed to become a huge fiasco, as someone from Microsoft PR included inappropriate words in the aforementioned song, which was performed live on stage at the event.

A video showing the performance of the “Windows Azure girls” made it to YouTube fast, and it can be seen embedded at the bottom of this article.

In a comment to that clip, Microsoft apologized for the offensive words used in the song, and it also stated that it was investigating the issue.

“This week’s Norwegian Developer’s Conference included a skit that involved inappropriate and offensive elements and vulgar language. We apologize to our customers and our partners and are actively looking into the matter,” the company said.

Moreover, Frank X. Shaw, lead corporate communications for Microsoft, took it to his Twitter account to categorize the whole “show” as inappropriate.

“This routine had vulgar language, was inappropriate and was just not ok. We apologize to our customers and partners,” he tweeted.

Of course, this is not the first time when PR initiatives go wrong, but it appears that things were taken a bit too far this time. Most probably, the incident will result in a series of layoffs among Microsoft’s employees responsible with the marketing of its products.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Apologizes-for-Inappropriate-Language-in-Presentation-Song-274798.shtml

[Frosticles]

lol XD

[calguyhunk]

A techno-dance routine that preceded Microsoft’s Windows Azure presentation at the Norwegian Developers Conference this week featured a group of women jumping around on stage to a song that included several drug references and this line: “The words MICRO and SOFT don’t apply to my penis.”

In a strange effort to be inclusive, a monitor displaying the lyrics added, “or vagina.”

My only reaction is, :omg:

All I can say is that I can't wait to read about this one in the Compliance Quarterly! :hehe:

I mean you expect this sort of language in a porno or at the very least a raunchy sex-comedy or obviously at a high school canteen, not a press meet of a professionally run listed company, that too the size and reputation of MS. Un-freakin'-believable - really. I mean who approves these things? :o

After 20 years, associating 'micro' and 'soft' with the male organ is old hat and not even LMFAO funny anymore. And to say that 'My vagina isn't soft & micro' - it's not just unfunny but ......

[calguyhunk]

BTW, it's not just MS. Other megacorps seem to afflicted with this disease as well. Here's a 'deleted' Asus tweet. LOL :lmao:

Have to say though that I can understand exactly where that commentator is coming from. Hard not to comment on that uhhh... rear ;)

[dcs18]

On hindsight . . . . . . . . this is the usual window dressing exercise conducted after a similar event - say for example, wardrobe failure. :sneaky: