Microsoft apologises over racist advertising error

Microsoft in embarrassing Photoshop FAIL advertising debacle in Poland
Microsoft in embarrassing Photoshop FAIL advertising debacle in Poland

The Polish division of software giant Microsoft has some serious egg on its face today, following discovery of a doctored advert for the company in which a black man's face was removed and replaced with that of a white man.

Microsoft has been quick to rectify the gaffe and issue and apology. But not quick enough to stop the entire internet noticing!

Boost your employees

As you can see from the comparison pic right here, the US version of the ad – promising "to boost your employees using the right tools" – featured a white woman, a black man and an Asian man, while the Polish version features a white face in place of the black face.

And not even a very-well superimposed white face, at that! In addition to being reprimanded for racial bigotry, the ad exec or agency responsible should also receive a few basic lessons in Photoshop, it would seem...

"We are looking into the details of this situation," said a Microsoft spokesman in a statement. "We apologise and are in the process of pulling down the image."

In more interesting (and far less embarrassing) advertising news, it was recently reported that a new magazine is soon set to get full motion video adverts.Which prompted TechRadar to celebrate our top seven magazine 'cover tech' innovations of recent times...

Adam Hartley