Apple Honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Its Home Page

[Poisonivy326]

Martin Luther King in this instance is just a random hero. He's a guy whose message of equal civil liberties can't really be disagreed with. He doesn't particularly fit Apple in any way, shape or form. He doesn't belong here. It's not appropriate.

Apple's website is a professional corporate site, not a blog. Google can get away with random stuff like this because you don't expect professionalism from them. You do from Apple, and it's a shame that they're transitioning in to one of these clueless companies who feel the need to chime in on every event or holiday happening in society.

Wow. MLK doesn't belong? You're saying that Apple can't be a corporation that speaks about civil rights? It's not "appropriate"? Are you one of those people that still talks about the "southern way of life"?

And Google isn't professional? They're only one of the most powerful companies on the planet.

 

[thewap]

Under Steve Jobs *here's to the great ones* campaign such associations were believable if one looks at Steve's background and lifestyle that he lived - Steve in many ways was one of us.

Under bling bling Cook and Sir Ive, the association with the great ones doesn't gel. I wonder what the Chinese think..

 

[TMRJIJ]

Because it had nothing to do with making computers and iPhones.



Because it had nothing to do with making computers and iPhones.

Is this concept so difficult to understand?

So what you saying is that a company can not commemorate an important activist on a actual holiday just because it does particularly relate to their products and services.
Your comment represents stupidity on the highest level.

 

[FreeState]

Under Steve Jobs *here's to the great ones* campaign such associations were believable if one looks at Steve's background and lifestyle that he lived - Steve in many ways was one of us.

Under bling bling Cook and Sir Ive, the association with the great ones doesn't gel. I wonder what the Chinese think..

They jell with most, just not some people on this forum who's outrage is way overstated.

 

[springsup]

Wow. MLK doesn't belong? You're saying that Apple can't be a corporation that speaks about civil rights? It's not "appropriate"? Are you one of those people that still talks about the "southern way of life"?

And Google isn't professional? They're only one of the most powerful companies on the planet.

Look, take a look at all of the cringe-worthy crap brands tweet about MLK day.

It's awful. Popchips, calling MLK an "eternal poptimist". Seriously.

Apple is essentially doing the same as they are, just with less cringe. It doesn't make any more sense, and in my opinion it's just as disrespectful and shallow as any of them. Basically, this is what I see when I go to Apple.com; a shallow, inappropriate and cringe-worthy ad.

 

[afsnyder]

I don't have a problem with this so long as it doesn't detract from Apple making great products. Something in the last few years has derailed Apple somewhat and their products are of a lesser quality than before (e.g. more bugs, nothing new other than upped specs (or lowered in the case of some iMacs, new Mac Mini, and new iPod Touch)). Apple needs to refocus on making high quality products especially if they intend on charging us a premium for them.

I don't know about you but I think Apple has made some of their best products in the last 3 years. Let me recap some of the things I think Apple has done a fantastic job with in the last 3 years..

- iPhone 5s w/ Touch ID
- iPhone 6 (maybe the camera shouldn't stick out but besides that)
- Retina MacBook Pro
- iPad Air 2
- Marketing Videos (I'm a fan of any video thats done well)

Things they could work on...

- iOS bugs (getting better already it seems)
- OS X Bugs (mostly graphical but besides that pretty good)

Hopefully this foray in the wearables market just improves everything else they make just as iOS has improved OS X over the years.

 

[ulyssesric]

This is basically what I think about it: Last Week Tonight - Corporations on Twitter.

Apple should stop doing this. This man campaigned for equal rights, Apple make computers. There is zero overlap. It's embarrassing.

It is certainly not a publicity or marketing opportunity. Seriously, did Apple really lose all of their class the day Steve passed?

It always amuses me when the ignorant saying something like "since the day Steve passed" with arrogance. It's more enjoyable to break their pathetic ego by pointing out it's exactly what Steve did in 2002:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_different

Here is the 60 sec version:

http://vimeo.com/17684171

Forward to 00:11 and name the person in screen, please.

 

[proline]

So, according to you then, in publicizing MLK, Apple is trying to associate with black people so that black people will see Apple in a positive way and buy from Apple?

You say "...associate your product with things that are desirable...", where "things" here are a race of people?

I understand branding, but don't quite get how that works with MLK and Apple?

What don't you understand? The image of Martin Luther King conjures up positive emotions, which are then imprinted on Apple (logo conveniently located right next to his head). This is marketing 101.

You'll note that they didn't put King up on Apple.ca and Apple.fr even though people in those countries know exactly who he is. Surely he should be honored there as well? Nope, rather than the warm, fuzzy, peace & love feelings that Americans associate King with, Canadians and French people would think more of the racial inequality, gun violence, etc. that goes on in the US. These things are important, but not the emotions that Apple wants to associate with. Best to keep him off those sites. Apple marketing thinks things through.

 

[skottichan]

What Steve did in one campaign isn't relevant. He didn't put up 'doodles' on every annual holiday.

What's so special about MLK day 2015? Did Apple do anything for it last year? Year before that? How about the one before that? How about on any MLK day in the last 10 years? No, they didn't. They did this when Mandela died and I didn't think it particularly appropriate then, either. Apple doesn't really have anything to do with race.

One thing Apple does have a lot to do with is education. Their products support children and adults through their learning, and Apple's products are particularly popular in that area. They have lots of unique offerings which can help people learn. For a long time, Apple was the only computer manufacturer which offered student discounts where they operated. iTunes U is fantastic.

Let's imagine Apple started working closely, publicly with UNICEF to support children's education initiatives around the world. That's entirely appropriate, because education is relevant to what they do. Now let's say they had a page congratulating Malala Yousafzai on her Nobel prize and pointing to women's education initiatives which they support and so on. That would all be entirely appropriate and you wouldn't hear a cynical peep from me.

Martin Luther King in this instance is just a random hero. He's a guy whose message of equal civil liberties can't really be disagreed with. He doesn't particularly fit Apple in any way, shape or form. He doesn't belong here. It's not appropriate.

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You couldn't be more wrong. This isn't about MLK at all. That's kind of the point. He has nothing to do with Apple. Race relations is not an issue which involves Apple at all. Civil rights is not an issue involves Apple at all.

Apple's website is a professional corporate site, not a blog. Google can get away with random stuff like this because you don't expect professionalism from them. You do from Apple, and it's a shame that they're transitioning in to one of these clueless companies who feel the need to chime in on every event or holiday happening in society.

Sure it does.

Hell, Tim Cook himself is part of a minority facing its own issues even today. Civil Rights involve every man, woman and child in this country, and paying tribute to a man who gave his life for those rights are part of what America should be about.

 

[AppleFan360]

Your comment represents stupidity on the highest level.

Feel better now.

 

[ulyssesric]

Basically, this is what I see when I go to Apple.com; a shallow, inappropriate and cringe-worthy ad.

View attachment 525754

Yeah I know some guy who always sees the world this way. He name is Grinch.

 

[proline]

Wow. MLK doesn't belong? You're saying that Apple can't be a corporation that speaks about civil rights? It's not "appropriate"? Are you one of those people that still talks about the "southern way of life"?

And Google isn't professional? They're only one of the most powerful companies on the planet.

Tell you what. Go check out all the other corporations that are trying to make a little $ off King day- http://www.businessinsider.com/worst-corporate-tweets-on-mlk-day-2014-1?IR=T

Now tell me you don't find any of that distasteful? Apple does the same thing, they just have more talent.

 

[Luscious]

I can't help but laugh at any fool who thinks that King's legacy doesn't matter to Tim Cook given what he's now publicly acknowledge about his private life.

 

[proline]

And Google isn't professional? They're only one of the most powerful companies on the planet.

Nope, Google's brand has nothing to do with professionalism so they can do as they please- hack people's WiFi, parse your personal data to target advertising, release crap like Google+ & Glass, not bother patching the security vulnerabilities that are present on 90% of Android devices, etc. Apple's reputation is all about professionalism. That's why if Apple does something as innocuous as send you some free music people howl. Very, very, different companies.

----------

I can't help but laugh at any fool who thinks that King's legacy doesn't matter to Tim Cook given what he's now publicly acknowledge about his private life.

I can't help but laugh at any fool who thinks Tim Cook runs the world's largest company based on his personal feelings. He kept his sexuality private during every era when it could have harmed his company's brand and released it when it was the popular thing to do. The real King, btw, felt that being gay was "not an innate tendency" but rather a problem to solve. His daughter has also reminded gay activists that her father "did not take a bullet for same-sex marriage".

Putting this up is branding, nothing more.

 

[johnnyturbouk]

1) I 1/2 read the title and thought Tim cooks was honouring Dr Dre and was about to get lol

2) then after reading the article, i thought maybe we would get some concessions or a freebie - actually scratch that, we would only wind up with another u2 album.

 

[lunarworks]

I'm always amazed by how racist and homophobic MacRumors' readers are when threads like this come up.

 

[Rogifan]

Under Steve Jobs *here's to the great ones* campaign such associations were believable if one looks at Steve's background and lifestyle that he lived - Steve in many ways was one of us.

Under bling bling Cook and Sir Ive, the association with the great ones doesn't gel. I wonder what the Chinese think..

Bling bling Cook? WTF does that mean?

 

[Col4bin]

I think Apple has endorsed this holiday since long before Tim.

 

[thewap]

Bling bling Cook? WTF does that mean?

Use your imagination

 

[Bobby Corwen]

It just comes across as reminders of racism.

The best thing to do is just treat people as equals and not use the past against them.

We don't need to celebrate races we need to encourage people to not be racist.

Children don't like to be reminded of slavery or MLK it's unhealthy.

The whole thing is kind of racist in 2015. Why bring that stuff up I don't really get it.

 

[rmsanger]

Would mlk have appreciated 800 hipsters on a forum discussing his likeness on a website.

 

[Poisonivy326]

It just comes across as reminders of racism.

The best thing to do is just treat people as equals and not use the past against them.

We don't need to celebrate races we need to encourage people to not be racist.

Children don't like to be reminded of slavery or MLK it's unhealthy.

The whole thing is kind of racist in 2015. Why bring that stuff up I don't really get it.

Why hello, Governor Wallace. How nice to meet you.

 

[Keirasplace]

It just comes across as reminders of racism.

The best thing to do is just treat people as equals and not use the past against them.

We don't need to celebrate races we need to encourage people to not be racist.

Children don't like to be reminded of slavery or MLK it's unhealthy.

The whole thing is kind of racist in 2015. Why bring that stuff up I don't really get it.

Wow! maybe you need to think a bit more!!

I've been inside the same car driven by an African American engineer friend (a beamer) in the south (South Carolina) and we were stopped 3 times in two days by the police for.. Well, nothing at all really... knows that racism is still rampant in the US. BTW, I drove for 2 weeks in the same area all by myself in the same car without being bothered once; and my friend is a much better driver than me.

Racism is not something in the past. It exists now. Talking about slavery/segregation still needs to be done because the US is still feeling the lingering effects of it. If your child can't deal with that inconvenient truth... Well, that's unhealthy.

This has nothing to do about celebrating race. It is about celebrating a leader who had a dream of equality for all (it is in the constitution after all...), the same dream Lincoln had, and he was also killed for it.

 

[OneMike]

I like when companies show a human side. Some people are too uptight and bitter.

Good move by Apple.

 

[G4DP]

It's only there because they haven't got a shiny new iPhone to shove down our throats.

"Tributes" like this should happen on set occasions. 10 years, 25 years, 50 years etc. Not at random