Microsoft Sorry For 'Insensitive' Amy Winehouse Tweet

Microsoft is being criticized for sending a tweet that many saw as an attempt to cash in on Amy Winehouse's death this past weekend.

Three days after the singer was found dead in her London home, the official Xbox360 Twitter account (@tweetbox360) posted a message on Twitter people to pay tribute to the late singer, by purchasing her album in Microsoft's online Zune music store.

The tweet read, "remember Amy Winehouse by downloading the ground-breaking ‘Back to Black’ over at Zune".

Winehouse fans responded to the sales pitch with outrage.

"It's very insensitive and whoever had the idea of tweeting it had no taste," said Jovic Y. (@iamjovic).

"Typical M$ trying to cash in on the death of someone," remarked another Twitter user (@GreenMistt).

@Thisisthebang criticized Microsoft for "failing at social media," while @DavidTraynier used the hashtag "#vultures" to describe Microsoft's post.

The same day, Microsoft's UK public relations team apologized for the mis-intentioned tweet: "Apologies to everyone if our earlier Amy Winehouse 'download' tweet seemed purely commercially motivated. Far from the case, we assure you," they wrote.

The company went on to say, "with Amy W’s passing, the world has lost a huge talent. Our thoughts are with Amy's family and friends at this very sad time".

Meanwhile, Winehouse's breakout album Back to Black topped the iTunes sales chart on Monday, after Apple prominently displayed a picture of the late singer on the front page of its popular online music store.

Microsoft, and Apple for that matter, clearly realized the sales opportunity surrounding Winehouse's death. Nonetheless, a life was lost and the singer's memory should be respected. Should Microsoft's public relations blunder be added to the list of 'Worst Twitter PR Fails' of all-time? Weigh in below.

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Microsoft's Amy Winehouse tweet:

Bad move

I don't have a problem with it

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Comments

[llibsetag]

12:44 AM on 07/28/2011

Bill Gates wants to redesign the design of all toilets, Zunes come in kaka brown & MS Public Relations Department makes a crappy ploy to make money from Amy Winehouse's too early demise.

Nice... (not )

[DAEdison]

03:13 PM on 07/27/2011

What's a Zune? Isn't it dead too?

[Infinitytomorrow]

02:50 PM on 07/27/2011

Of course if iTunes had done the same thing, everyone would have been glad they were honoring her memory

Double freaking Standard

[DAEdison]

03:18 PM on 07/27/2011

Why is it that the only people I ever hear who seem to even HALF buy the notion that Apple is morally superior are the guys complaining about it? Nobody thinks Apple are saints, fella! Jobs buys livers! Drop the "Boo, Apple wouldn't get criticized!" act: it's untrue, disingenuous, speculative, and infantile.

[Infinitytomorrow]

03:53 PM on 07/27/2011

From another article today:

"Folks, it's really quite simple: Apple products are in demand, so this move makes perfect sense. Sorry windows, you're losers and have been outfoxed again...Ap­ple today, tomorrow, forever...­HAHAHA...J­im, Columbus, OH "

Yes they exist

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/26/apple-store-grand-central-terminal_n_909111.html

[sebastianconcept]

02:12 PM on 07/27/2011

Owwwwwww how subtle!

Amazing but not surprising.

Just an expression of a grossly dehumanized corporate stupidity.

Nice branding job Microsoft!

[MtnGeek]

12:06 PM on 07/27/2011

What? It is supposed to be news that Microsoft is a mercenary company?

[Jo Le Tiel]

11:56 AM on 07/27/2011

I like the idea of them offering it for free for 24 hours, or something like that. Strange, though, I downloaded Back to Black for free from another music site.

[Simon James Wilson]

11:10 AM on 07/27/2011

Apple cash-in by saying nothing and that's OK? It's a FUBAR world we live in ... Double Standards as per.

[twoto2]

10:30 AM on 07/27/2011

Seriously, this is all the people have to do???? Complain about a tweet over a singer's death and Americans are homeless, hungry and afraid. No wonder Americans get played.

[LiberalAsTheDayIsLong]

10:15 AM on 07/27/2011

Time to bring back the "Leave Brittany alone!" guy.

[RecreationalPilot]

09:04 AM on 07/27/2011

I can't remember the last Pro-Microsoft article HuffPo posted.

It's all about Apple this and Apple that. About 40-50% of their tech posts are Apple related.

[mscc827]

08:55 AM on 07/27/2011

I agree with the comment that people do buy a person's music more after they have passed on. It is almost like trying to keep a piece of them with you (at least for me). If people are buying the music anyways, I see no problem with Microsoft trying to get some sales away from Apple.

[aspertame2]

08:34 AM on 07/27/2011

When a famous artist passes away, it can be a windfall for galleries selling his or her art.

Think Marilyn Monroe's face would still be plastered all over merchandise year after year, if not for the stories and scandal surrounding her death?

Winehouse said No No No to rehab and died. It's very sad but others who have mentioned that it was a profiteering free-for-all after the (also rather sad) death of Michael Jackson, and an apology-free free-for-all to boot, are right.

I'm going to take a wild guess that Winehouse's Dad is making deals right now to rush a final "unfinished" album to release while the artist's death is still fresh.

[ChristianEcon.com]

08:31 AM on 07/27/2011

"Zune"?

[IndependentGadfly]

08:05 AM on 07/27/2011

I love the HP tag line on the main page about "users lashing out" - what a great pun. I thought it was the druggies who were upset only to open the article to see that it was related to a wayward tweet.

[Deaninphilly]

07:33 AM on 07/27/2011

Who cares , who is Amy anyhow.

I'm sorry, but I just can not muster any sympathy for a drug addict who had more than most people in this world and pissed it all away.