Microsoft’s timing couldn’t be better. 😛
Hours after hosting a “women in gaming” luncheon at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Microsoft threw a party with scantily clad dancers in school girl outfits. It wasn’t a good look, and the company has since apologized.
Of course they did pull out Phil Spencer Bot to offer up apologies about the whole thing. Because he’s done a great job so far keeping up the company image. I always love reading his stuff. In fact, lets embark on this journey together. 😀
How we show up as an organization is incredibly important to me.
Yes, and your company’s message has been loud and clear… Annoy the fuck out of people to use your new products.
We want to build and reflect the culture of TEAM XBOX – internally and externally – a culture that each one of us can represent with pride. An inclusive culture has a direct impact on the products and services we deliver and the perception consumers have of the Xbox brand and our company, as a whole.
Inclusive, we want everyone to flock to our walled garden. That includes you, ladies.
It has come to my attention that at Xbox-hosted events at GDC this past week, we represented Xbox and Microsoft in a way that was absolutely not consistent or aligned to our values. That was unequivocally wrong and will not be tolerated.
We’ll remember to buy male dancers next time… in tiny miniskirts!
This matter is being handled internally, but let me be very clear – how we represent ourselves as individuals, who we hire and partner with and how we engage with others is a direct reflection of our brand and what we stand for.
If they were trying to reflect the Microsoft brand I’d say Mission Accomplished. Having read many posts by all kinds of virgin man children gamers from all corners of the internet I’d say you know your target audience quite well! Hell, a small portion of said audience seems to think you’re doing a great job.
When we do the opposite, and create an environment that alienates or offends any group, we justly deserve the criticism.
Your money is important to us too. All inclusive!
It’s unfortunate that such events could take place in a week where we worked so hard to engage the many different gaming communities in the exact opposite way. I am personally committed to ensuring that diversity and inclusion is central to our everyday business and our core values as a team – inside and outside the company. We need to hold ourselves to higher standards and we will do better in the future.
Yes, higher standards. Like making sure Windows 10 gets put on as many computers as possible with or without your consent.
You know. I don’t think this would have been as big if they had regular dancers and maybe included some male ones too… But that would probably creep out the guys at the conference, and we can’t have that… can we?
