Wanna take bets on how long before Apple is forced to pull this headline and apologize?
Posted by Dr. Macenstein
“The New iMac. You Can’t Be Too Thin. Or Too Powerful.”
I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, but I am putting the Over/Under at 26 hours. What do you say?
[UPDATE: Well, they changed it]
I know if their slogan had been: “You can’t be too smart.” there would be a lot of people on this site that would be offended.
I dont think it will cause major problems…but I was shocked…I expect more
http://humminbird.wordpress.com/2007/08/10/diet-applereally/
You guys are reactionary morons. I am glad to see Apple isn’t as crazy as you are.
Why is it that some people have to say things like, “You people are reactionary morons?” Can’t you come up with anything other than an insult? SAD. Those of us that speak out, create change. I stand behind my reactions and there are many others that feel the same as I do.
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will only empower me.”
“You can’t be too white (male). Or too insensitive.
Christine
I think this is horribly offensive and reinforces what our culture says: appearance is all that matters.
I wrote to Apple and I blogged on the topic: http://beautifulcalamity.blogspot.com
Just read Ashley’s blog and I obviously agree with everything she has to say.
Christine
It’s just an irresponsible thing to say on both counts. They’re not say “a computer can’t be too thin or too powerful.” The “You” is figurative, but it’s clearly saying “You can’t be too thin…” and that’s simply untrue and irresponsible of them to say – or even imply. If anyone believes that the statement “you can’t be too thin” is true for people, then you probably have an eating disorder.
I just visited the Apple site, read the headline, searched Google using the headline to see if anyone else was stumped by it and ended up here.
Folks, I know being “PC” all day is annoying (really, it bugs the sh*t out of me), but my goodness, that is such a stupid tagline. I’m going to have to side with Christine here.
Really, Apple’s making millions. It’s not asking too much to leave out clearly ambiguous statements like that to sell their products. What do they pay their people for? I’m having a hard time understanding why so many people are supporting this. Do you get commissions? If we were talking about a comedian or whatnot, ok, I’d flow with that, it’s meant to offend, but a mega-corporation like Apple? C’mon, seriously? How about some accountability?
As a disclaimer: I’d probably be agreeing with all of you right now if I hadn’t experienced anorexia first-hand (not on myself but someone very close). It’s just not as simple as “get over it, have a sense of humor”. You tend to get sensitive towards such statements, what with all the “silly” little life-crushing and whatnot that comes with the subject matter. A few years ago, a German comedian came up with a saying that has kind of stuck in our culture: “if you don’t know what you’re talking about, just STFU”. I think it’s fitting here.
only in america could we come up with something as ridiculous as an eating disorder. there are people all over the world starving to death due to poverty and lack of natural resources/food. then you have some stuck up cunt from beverly hills who sticks her fingers down her throat everytime she eats. ridiculous. eat a god damn meal and get over yourself.
Has the media glorified eating disorders so much that people actually believe that those that suffer from them are, “stuck up cunts from Beverly Hills?” Interesting. I’m not from Beverly Hills, nor am I even close to being rich or stuck-up. It’s funny, that last comment doesn’t anger me, it just makes me feel pitty for the person who wrote it. I just cannot imagine being so ignorant. Perhaps reading a book or a newspaper might help. Remember, “Entertainment Tonight,” is not a valid news source.
Christine
Hi everyone
Please read this message… It s important to me…
Ok yeah you’re right some of you… People shouldn’t take this seriously and just move on BUT have you thought about the consequences?
Anorexia isn’t the only eating disorder… What about bulimia? I have bulimia and I am trying very hard to recover… How do you think it makes me feel that when I am trying SO HARD to tell myself, it’s ok, you don’t need to be thin, you’re ok, you’re not fat, you’re not disgusting etc everywhere around me I see a different message? What about girls who DON’T have an eating disorder, and are actually perfectly ok with themselves, then see this “AD” saying that you can never be too thin? It only takes on ad to put a tiny bit of doubt in yourself to make it to the way of self hatred and loathing…
What about fat people? If they are fat, medically over weight how will they feel about themselves?
Quite frankly who would WANT to buy a computer from a company like this, that is talking about OBJECTS this way?
Again, some of you do have the self esteem and confidence to ignore ads like these… But then again some do NOT have that power and are only beaten down by ads like these… It is actually even more infuriating that it is about computers… It’s quite the secretive way of saying hey you’re fat and powerless… In a way when you buy our computer you have some power… I don’t know… But come on… Who let them do that? I mean who approved that ad? Jeez
By the way “EatingDisorder?”, I don’t think ANYBODY likes to make themselves starve\throw up\etc… You are very ignorant, but I can’t blame you because it is not your fault you don’t understand… FIRST OF ALL an eating disorder is also BIOLOGICAL, as in CHEMICALS in your body change when you have an eating disorder… Look at the word… Eating DISORDER… It is not about vanity it is something much more complex than that, but I don’t think someone as ignorant as you could truly understand… Please if you do not know enough about a certain subject, don’t talk about it as if you do… An eating disorder is an addiction too… Why not tell every person who smokes or drinks to just “get over yourselves”?
you want a eating disorder? try living on the streets of calcutta, or growing up in darfur looking like a living skeleton. if youre not going to eat, or just want to stick your fingers down your throat after a hearty meal, how bout sending a starving child the food then blowing out your brains. its a win win.
only in america could someone be so shallow.
the mac ad is simply refering to a computer. an inatimate object. get a life, find something more important to complain about… for starters, why not try global warming? come on, there has to be a better cause out there to expend your energy on…
I believe this discussion should be about whether Apple made the “right marketing decision” rather than whether Apple “should be forced to pull and apologize”.
On the first question the answer is probably no. On the second, a rotund NO.
As a matter of principle Apple (or whoever) should have the liberty to say and go public with anything. I understand law and common sense impose some restrictions on this freedom. But if the system has to fail it should fail on the side of permissiveness.
Not being American, I probably understand better than you people how important it is for Freedom of Speech to be given top priority over other rights and considerations no matter how altruistic.
I understand bullimic / anorexic girls have a legitimate and honorable interest in controlling the messages they get, the role models that are thrown upon them by the media. But they have no right to deprive any company or any individual to say what they please (including making a fool of themselves), when they please.
Yes, lions kill Bambi for fodder, hundreds of people get kill in Iraq everyday, slavery still exists in China and thousands if not millions of children could be saved with the food restaurants throw out everyday. Life is tough. And it will not improve by means of a Big Brother deciding what we should know (and what not) and ensuring we only get soothing messages.
All dictators and censors believe they act for the common good of their people, to protect them from their ignorance or shortcomings.
There are enough of them around. Do not create new ones.
seriously, if anyone develops an eating disorder based on apples new slogan, then they have bigger things to worry about.
I do not think that Apple made the right marketing choice with the tagline, “You can’t be too thin. Or too powerful.” I do not think that it was an innocent mistake. I do not think that most men understand what it is like to be forced into thinking about ones weight or ones body 24/7. I do not think that an eating disorder has anything to do with, or should be compared to Calcutta or Darfur or any other horrid world issue. I do not think that Apple will or should pull anything. I do not think that Apple would have used this tagline if they really think that it is offensive. I do not think that Apple is a trustworthy company (anymore). I do not think that this issue has anything to do with “freedom of speech.” I do not think that Apple has a vested interest in women. I do not think that Apple’s new tagline only affects females with eating disorders. I do not think that the ad is only referring to computers. I do not think that anyone who is offended should remain silent. I do not think that the world likes it when people take a stand about anything that affects women. I do not think that many women (not all) will buy Apple computers after this stunt. I do not think that this was an innocent mistake. I do not think that this was an innocent mistake. I do not think that this was an innocent mistake. I do not think that this was an innocent mistake. I do not think that this was an innocent mistake.
Christine
Christine you are reading way way to far into this. Do you honestly think Apple is referring to people? They are a computer company why would they attack people with eating disorders? Are you just reading that one line? It says “The New iMac. You Can’t Be Too Thin. Or Too Powerful. ” You are just as bad as the people I used have to serve because an item cost 50 cents they’d throw a fit and get all upset. You are foolish to think that both females and males will stop buying their products all because of a slogan that you are reading to far into. Stop trying to push your feelings on to others because you are insecure. Apple has a huge customer base. Do you really honestly think thousands or even millions of people are going to stop purchasing a product of a slogan? Seriously you are just as bad as the customer who walks into a store and throws a fit because an item cost 50 cents.
“seriously, if anyone develops an eating disorder based on apples new slogan, then they have bigger things to worry about.”
Agreed.
As a recovering anorexic, I worry about this slogan because it could be triggering to those who are currently suffering or have suffered from the disease. I just think it is in poor taste. I am a faithful mac user and the products speak for themselves without such an odd slogan. I do not think that apple is making fun of anorexics, but they didn’t consider how a slogan like that may trigger them. It didn’t sit well with me.
I love the fact that my outrage and honesty really bothers people. You can call me insecure, (is there anyone out there who is not insecure about something?) and compare me to what ever and whom ever you’de like, but I won’t back down from this issue and I won’t stop reading into anything. I also won’t resort to insults. I guess I did tell someone at some point to read a book or a newspaper, so, I guess I should apologize for that. “Sorry for the low-blow.” All I want is for folks to recognize that this tagline is offensive to a large group of people. I never said that it was offensive to everyone because obviously it is not. Hey, I’m the type of person that is considerate of other peoples feelings. I think that Apple should be held accountable for this. Eating disorder or not, I think the tagline, “You can’t be too rich. Or too powereful,” is WRONG.
The more you try and shut-me-up, the more I will speak.
Christine
(Insecure and proud of it!)
Well, looks like they finally changed it…. check out the Apple.com home page.
Bravo Christine! Your ‘I do not…” post is a classic.
I do not think that people should shut up when they see something so blatantly wrong. I dare say you, like me and probably many others emailled Apple directly with their concerns. Apple have responded (perhaps for business reasons but perhaps not soley) and changed their marketing approach just like they are (finally) responding to environmental concens about thei products (again the result of pressure). That my dear friends is what freedom of speech is all about.
Bravo.
…it’s just a pity the Apple stores in the UK and Canada are so far behind, they still have the ‘thin’ tagline :-0
bravo christine
i came across the ad when apple first launched the new imac, and i did nothing more than exchange a few incredulous emails with friends and other mac babies. i never followed up to see the issue had been noticed by others too, or objected to as eloquently as you have done.
one would expect apple to be somehow above all this, but as a friend and a committed mac baby said, ‘why should apple be different?’ which i think is an excellent question. apple’s image (and the level of respect it used to command from its niche market) has certainly undergone several waves of transformation recently. the question is not how we interpret humor (or the lack thereof) but rather, in what context a certain statement is made in the first place (as christine puts it, ‘i do not believe this was an innocent mistake’). this was an insensitive tagline and the humor was cheeky at best , and just because you’re expected to be smart enough to see through the layers of ‘humor’ in such a case does not make it any less insensitive.
having said that, apple is anything but dumb, and they must have anticipated the ferment this would cause. all the more reason for me to believe this was not an innocent mistake. no publicity is bad publicity after all, and if they’re trying to chuck out their old target market and attract idiots, this tagline certainly fits in with the rest of their recent activities. you didn’t think they actually WANT just the 5% market share now do you?
Testing.