While the Japanese have been channelling the late great tech pioneer and Apple CEO Steve Jobs through supernatural methods, southerly neighbour Taiwan meanwhile has been using a winged and haloed Steve Jobs-a-like to advertise a cheap rival Android tablet called the Action Pad.
In the promo clip Taiwanese comedian Ah-Ken portrays a mock-Steve who appears in trademark blue jeans and non-descript black long sleeve in a crude replica of one of his famous keynote speeches, praising the tacky tab made by Action Electronics. The advert filmed in native language has been translated and has appeared online with English subtitles. At one point the prankster says “Thank God I finally get to play other tablets” – the Action Pad displaying Google’s Android OS. Since the video appeared on YouTube it has been subjected to the wrath of many Apple aficionados who have attacked the commercial as “tasteless” and a way to exploit the Apple co-founder’s death to create hype and controversy and increase appeal for the guff gadget.
Action Electronics spokesperson, Chelsea Chen has responded to the backlash by saying “Steve Jobs always promoted things that were good for people, Apple products, so his image can also promote other things that are good.”
Those who are at all familiar with Steve Jobs’ career will know how vehemently oppose to anything Android related the gadget guru truly was, even once referring to Google’s platform as “shit”.
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