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Microsoft Apologizes For Seemingly ‘Commercially Motivated’ Amy Winehouse Tweet

by Jon Bershad | 1:03 pm, July 25th, 2011

» 18 comments

As we all know, there are many stages of grief a person goes through when someone dies. There’s Anger, Denial, Acceptance, and, of course, eventually An Attempt to Profit Financially. Which is why it’s surprising that so many people are angry over an official Microsoft public relations Twitter account asking followers to “remember” the late singer Amy Winehouse by purchasing one of her albums from them. Maybe they just got to that stage a little early?

This morning, the British account @TweetBox360 sent out this message:

Soon after, tons of Twitter users were registering their outrage, calling the tweet “callous” and “thoughtless.” It was quite a big reaction considering the Microsoft account has less than 2,000 followers in the first place. Shortly after, Microsoft was forced to apologize (although, as of this writing, they have not deleted the initial tweet):

Really though, was what they did that over the line?

In fact, the Tweet was an example of a fairly common practice. Presumably since the days of the Victrola, record stores have always made the works of recently departed artists readily accessible. Would anyone have thought it that odd if they walked in to see a special Nirvana section in a store circa April ’94? Sure this may seem callous, but it also represents an undeniable fact of life; when someone talented dies, fans both new and old want to commemorate their life by listening to (and therefore purchasing) their work. It’s always been the case and, judging by album sales the past few days, it’s the case now. Microsoft is just giving the people what they want. And they’re not even the only ones doing it.

As Mashable’s Sarah Kessler points out, Microsoft’s competitor Apple is greeting fans with this image on the front page of their iTunes Store:

It shouldn’t take you too many guesses to figure out what happens when you click that lovely picture of Ms. Winehouse. No, it does not take you to a memorial page where fans can share their fondest memories.

Both Apple and Microsoft seem to think that the best way to “remember” the gifted singer would be to give them money. So why hasn’t there been an uproar over that image? Personally, I think the problem lies at the feet of Twitter itself. Both companies were looking to make a profit (no matter what those apology Tweets say), but Microsoft went about it in a venue that allows easy comment. iTunes users may have found the image tasteless, but they couldn’t register their complaint with the click of a Retweet button. And then Microsoft only made it worse with the apology Tweets by tacitly admitting what they did was wrong.

Yeah, it might have been a little bit wrong. But it’s a wrong that’s existed since the beginning of commerce. Sadly, if they had just put a little more effort into hiding their intentions, no one would have noticed.

(h/t Drudge)

Amy Winehouse, Apple, iTunes, Microsoft, Zune

http://www.facebook.com/people/Gregory-Smith/100001741334953 Gregory Smith

Whatever, that stupid druggie doesn’t deserve any better. She was ugly, covered in tattoos, and should have spent more time IN Rehab instead of singing about not wanting to go to Rehab.

I know the liberals will attack me for being heartless, but whatever. Back when Bush was president they made a movie about his assassination and gave it awards. So don’t tell me I’m heartless when you people have no heart.
http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/
Anonymous

Okay….the woman wasn’t even buried yet and true to form, American Companies are looking at how to make money off of her. Wow!! Even political comments about an issue that has nothing to do with her death are being made. Wow again!!
Anonymous

It’s very morbose to be capitalizing on dead entertainers and they’ve all been doing it for years. As soon as Johnny Cash died, there were commercials using his song “Ring of Fire”. The same thing with Roy Orbison. I wouldn’t doubt that many advertisers are looking at Winehouse’s catalogue to see which songs they can use to sell their products with.
Anonymous

I agree with you. At least Rick Rubin waited three years after Cash’s death to release the last of the American recordings.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Nicole-Blanton/1834124131 Nicole Blanton

You are a waste of space. Amy was a human being and she deserves respect.
http://capitolcommentary.com Harrison

News flash… that’s wasn’t “Seemingly ‘Commercially Motivated.’”
http://twitter.com/Stevenrea Steven E Rea

i’ll admit Amy was a human being, and had an amazing voice, but don’t demand respect for her, when she had no respect for herself.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_M5V6VTQAVLARF7XXO47Z5OCZWM TangledThorns

Am I the only person who didn’t like her music?
Michael Johnson

Brilliant piece, Jon. Very smart and even-handed.
Mister_indifferent1

Politics aside, you’re just a callous scumbag operating under the guise of telling it like it is. And calling her ugly? Just because you can form a sentence doesn’t mean you aren’t a moron. But since you mentioned politics, the hilarious thing about the right is that their heart bleeds for anyone in their family and anyone who conforms to their own particular ideology, but anyone else can die screaming. The left is preachy and obnoxious, but at least they can see things from the perspective of people who don’t share theirs, which is basically the only thing that separates us from the chimps. Well, most people… not you.
Mister_indifferent1

Politics aside, you’re just a callous scumbag operating under the guise of telling it like it is. And calling her ugly? Just because you can form a sentence doesn’t mean you aren’t a moron. But since you mentioned politics, the hilarious thing about the right is that their heart bleeds for anyone in their family and anyone who conforms to their own particular ideology, but anyone else can die screaming. The left is preachy and obnoxious, but at least they can see things from the perspective of people who don’t share theirs, which is basically the only thing that separates us from the chimps. Well, most people… not you.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Wesley-Smith/725105211 Wesley Smith

Jon has a strong point about any kind of media company jumping on an opportunity when a performer dies. Album sales, marathons on TV, and now downloads. It’s nothing new. But maybe this is because the first time I had heard about Microsoft’s tweet was this article, but there seems to be something especially tasteless about it. While iTunes is definitely cashing in, Microsoft’s tweet just seems classless somehow. I can’t put my finger on it.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Wesley-Smith/725105211 Wesley Smith

Just out of curiosity, what do they do where you live?
Anonymous

The left can see things from the perspective of people that don’t share (their perspective)? Wait, what? How can one be preachy and obnoxious while seeing things from someone else’s point of view? It would be a neat trick, of course, but I don’t think we’re talking about magicians here.

Nice to see you painted with just as broad of a political brush as the original poster while trying, ostensibly, to separate yourself from his methodology. I guess that means you’re not so different than him, eh?
Anonymous

What it really points out is that people are much more likely to find fault with Microsoft, yet leave Apple unscathed. Yeah, that’s fair. Which company stands to make more $$$ over the “remembrance” mentions?
Anonymous

???
Anonymous

Her body isn’t even cold yet and MICRO$OFT is cashing in. This would be funny if it weren’t such a dick move.
Stephen Bonser

No one seriously expects anything less than crass commercialism from either Apple or Microsoft, do they? The idea of either of them doing anything that does not directly feed their bottom line would seem so out of place…