Transparency Transcends Print, Social Media

If you publish content for your firm, company, or even blog, Facebook, Tweet or have a LinkedIn profile – and don’t think people are listening and watching to what you do or say – you need to wake up!

Microsoft pulled a fast one when it took a photo of an African-American man and changed the person’s color to White. Plain and simple, this was a huge no-n0, and did not go unnoticed by the bloggers who pounced on Microsoft for inappropriate ethical behavior. Advertising Age was one of new news media to report the story; the altered photos are included in the story.

Although the fact that Photoshop can change skin color is a huge, separate discussion in itself, I think the larger story is whether  Microsoft thought the stunt might go unnoticed. It’s not how stupid MS thinks we are; it’s how invisible the company think we might be.