"Apple's little problem with ripping off artists"

[editor]

After a week of non stop fanboy iPhone reporting, it looks like Engadget are trying to even things out by posting a feature about Apple's apparent penchant for 'thinking differently' when it comes to artist copyright.

I'd never seen Apple's near shot-for-shot remake of The Postal Service's 'Such Great Heights' single before, but you've got to admire the director's insistence that it was all a mere coincidence! He must be on crack!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/05/apples-little-problem-with-ripping-off-artists/

*for the sake of argument, 'Apple' being the marketing department responsible for producing the material, and not necessarily Mr Steve Jobs himself, although I guess he could have OKd the vids.

 

[Crispy]

Stinks doesn't it?

I've told this before, but a girl at my friend's school wrote the Levis 'mermaids' advert as part of an advertising 'activity day' thing run by Levis, so they promptly made it, pretty much shot for shot.

 

[editor]

Stinks doesn't it?

I've told this before, but a girl at my friend's school wrote the Levis 'mermaids' advert as part of an advertising 'activity day' thing run by Levis, so they promptly made it, pretty much shot for shot.

It's one thing to be inspired, but I was genuinely astonished by the Postal Servcice one though. It looks like the director must have been using the original as a storyboard. I mean; the angles, the lighting and even the chuffing space suit is exactly the same!

You coming to the pub later, btw?

 

[Crispy]

Yes.

Although pretty much all clean room suits look like that.

 

[editor]

Although pretty much all clean room suits look like that.

Sure, but you could film them in a hundred different ways.

 

[Pie 1]

editor, you've really got an unhealthy anti apple obsession.
Although I'm a mac user, I'm not a fan boy by any stretch of the imagination.
Get over it.

 

[editor]

editor, you've really got an unhealthy anti apple obsession.
Although I'm a mac user, I'm not a fan boy by any stretch of the imagination.
Get over it.

Perhaps you missed all my posts praising the iPhone's innovation, interface and style?

Would you like me to give you the URLs so you can get your apology ready?

I'm commenting on a news story FFS. I comment on lots of tech news stories I find interesting. Do you not find this story interesting? Or do you think that when Mac - or any other company - tries to rip off artists, I shouldn't talk about it?

After all, I didn't write the fucking story.

 

[editor]

Look! Feel the "unhealthy" anti-Apple hate! My comments about the iPhone are positively seething with malice!

"I imagine [the iPhone] will be quite fantastic in some regards"
"the web browser looks fantastic"
"no shortage of delightful eye candy and fantastic usability"
"it's a beautiful new phone"
"it's an important new development in phone aesthetics
"it looks lovely"
"the interface is a treat"
"The battery life looks great with the iPhone "
"the iPhone will give the industry a much needed kick up the arse. With luck, it'll make Microsoft reconsider their fucking awful Mobile interface in double quick time too."

 

[dogmatique]

editor, you've really got an unhealthy anti apple obsession.
Although I'm a mac user, I'm not a fan boy by any stretch of the imagination.
Get over it.

I'd say that it was more of a counter to the incessent fan-boy brigade and their lazy holier than thou attitude that sticks in the craw and needs bringing down to earth every now and then.

Apple is a snidey corporation just like any other.

Grr.

 

[spitfire]

Apple is a snidey corporation just like any other.
Grr.

'tis true. i'm an apple fan, always have been. However some of their activities are indefensible.

I will also say that this is not the first time that an ad agency/pr company/film director have taken an artist/art student/juniors/runners/other directors idea and used it. They always take the same line, "oh it may be similar, but it's just a coincidence". It's (almost) always bollocks.

So yeah, apple are bad boys. naughty naughty.

BTW acid house is based on theft (samples).

Still don't make it right though.

Whaddyagonnado?!?

 

[rocketman]

The only good corporation is no corporation, isn't it?

 

[editor]

I will also say that this is not the first time that an ad agency/pr company/film director have taken an art students/juniors/runners/other directors idea and used it. They always take the same line, "oh it may be similar, but it's just a coincidence". It's (almost) always bollocks.

I guess what makes these examples worthy of comment is that Apple's marketing campaign is all about "thinking differently" and that strapline sits rather uneasily with the near-identical copies of other people's work presented in the Engadget article.

Surely any corporate bullshit is worth highlighting whenever it's found, no?

 

[rocketman]

That was an old marketing campaign, 1998, wasn't it?

 

[editor]

That was an old marketing campaign, 1998, wasn't it?

Answers.com lists it thus: "Think different" (1997–present)"
http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-apple-inc-slogans

 

[cybertect]

It's one thing to be inspired, but I was genuinely astonished by the Postal Servcice one though. It looks like the director must have been using the original as a storyboard.

Quite probably he used the same storyboard. It was the same team (Josh Melnick and Xander Charity) that did both the music vid and the Apple ad.

 

[spitfire]

I guess what makes these examples worthy of comment is that Apple's marketing campaign is all about "thinking differently" and that strapline sits rather uneasily with the near-identical copies of other people's work presented in the Engadget article.

Surely any corporate bullshit is worth highlighting whenever it's found, no?

yes it is and I think you're on the button.

I just don't find it surprising, maybe i'm too cynical.

The reason I buy apple is that I like it, i am under no illusions as to their corporate philosophy. Typical hippies, cool on the surface, underneath all they want is your bread maaaan.

 

[editor]

Quite probably he did. It was the same team (Josh Melnick and Xander Charity) that did both the music vid and the Apple ad.

The band weren't impressed with a near-identical copy of their video appearing, and Apple knew all about the fact that they were ripping off the work.

Both the Apple/Intel spot and the Postal Service video were the work of the directorial team of Josh Melnick and Xander Charity, who after shooting "Such Great Heights" secured representation through Tight Films, a Santa Monica, California, commercial production company. According to a spokesperson for Tight, the duo were approached by Apple, who asked them to re-create "Heights" for the company's ad touting Intel-enhanced computers

I would have thought a little email to the Postal Service from Apple might have been a nice touch, no?
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1521418/20060123/postal_service.jhtml

 

[editor]

The reason I buy apple is that I like it, i am under no illusions as to their corporate philosophy. Typical hippies, cool on the surface, underneath all they want is your bread maaaan.

Apple make fucking great products, but for some people their style of PR - and the tragic hype-swallowing fanboys in tow - can rub them up the wrong way.

 

[spitfire]

Apple make fucking great products, but for some people their style of PR - and the tragic hype-swallowing fanboys in tow - can rub them up the wrong way.

I agree, especially when they/their ad agency rip people's ideas off. Never cool.

I am actually agreeing with your point, just not as surprised that a global multinational might be pretending to be something it isn't.

© Orange, BP, HSBC (the worlds local bank) and some more i can't think of right now.

Apologies but i have to opt out now as i''m off to cornwall in the am and have to close for the weekend.




btw i hope you ain't calling me a tragic hype swallowing fanboy.

i am an individual, we are all individuals!

 

[editor]

btw i hope you ain't calling me a tragic hype swallowing fanboy.

Of course not! Thankfully Apple fanboys are a fairly rare species in my experience, but I've certainly encountered a few.

*shudders at the memory

 

[cybertect]

The band weren't impressed with a near-identical copy of their video appearing, and Apple knew all about the fact that they were ripping off the work.I would have thought a little email to the Postal Service from Apple might have been a nice touch, no?
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1521418/20060123/postal_service.jhtml

Maybe a nice touch, but it was the video guys' IP, not the band's. Apple approached the right people. If there was a dispute over (co-) ownership, then it would have arisen contractually between the directors and the band and I suspect Apple's lawyers would have advised not to get involved in that by talking to the band directly. I'm more disappointed that the directors didn't ask the band before taking the commission from Apple.

[legal discussion].

TPS did quite well out of it in the end. From the same MTV article you just quoted.

And it looks like maybe the Apple issue might have a happy ending as well. Late last week the video for "Such Great Heights" appeared on the main page of the iTunes Music Store and has since become the most downloaded music video on the site (ahead of clips by Eminem, Jessica Simpson and the Black Eyed Peas). Apple's spot has also generated renewed talk about the Postal Service on the Music Store and blogs across the Internet, proving once again that there's no such thing as bad publicity.

 

[spitfire]

that's alright then.

i must say though, i have come across many PC/microsoft peeps that are VERY aggressive about their chosen OS.

Methinks they doth protest too much.

............(It might also be something to do with the fact that 85/90% of people are windoze). Therefore I get proportionally more grief.

 

[editor]

i must say though, i have come across many PC/microsoft peeps that are VERY aggressive about their chosen OS.

You certainly won't hear me 'fanboying' Microsoft.

Not ever!

 

[spitfire]

i know, 'tis true.

we are both individuals!

Not betrothen to the great gods of gates and jobs.


(but they all make such cool shit, doh )

 

[Firky]

Saw an advert for powerbooks a couple of years ago and it went along the lines of: "The only book you'll ever need."

Twats.

 

[Pie 1]

Perhaps you missed all my posts praising the iPhone's innovation, interface and style?

Would you like me to give you the URLs so you can get your apology ready?

I'm commenting on a news story FFS. I comment on lots of tech news stories I find interesting. Do you not find this story interesting? Or do you think that when Mac - or any other company - tries to rip off artists, I shouldn't talk about it?

After all, I didn't write the fucking story.

Whatever.
It's utterly pointless trying to discuss/argue anything with you when you've taken this sort of chest bumping, sarky, defensive stance from the off.

I'll get my coat, etc

 

[editor]

Whatever.
It's utterly pointless trying to discuss/argue anything with you when you've taken this sort of chest bumping, sarky, defensive stance from the off.

Nothing 'chest beating' about correcting your incorrect claim.

Have you got anything to add to this discussion, by the way, or did you just pop in to have a go?

 

[Crispy]

I'm not a big fan of your 'death by a thousand indignant questions' debating style either btw. I find it really hard to engage with.

 

[editor]

I'm not a big fan of your 'death by a thousand indignant questions' debating style either btw.

FFS: he posted up a fucking irritating lie about me and I corrected it.

The few questions I asked were entirely relevent to his point/unprovoked, off topic personal attack.

 

[Dask]

Apple are turning into a mid to late nineties Microsoft.