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You are here: MacNN Forums > News > Tech News > Prescheduled social media posts from Joan Rivers promote iPhone 6

Prescheduled social media posts from Joan Rivers promote iPhone 6
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NewsPoster
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Sep 19, 2014, 04:03 PM
 
In an unusual gaffe, the official Instagram and Facebook accounts for comedian Joan Rivers -- who died on September 4 -- today briefly displayed identical, prescheduled posts about the iPhone 6. "This badass is being replaced by an iPhone 6 (not the fat one)," the posts read. "I got this one [an iPhone 4] in 2010 and, after four years, my only complaint is that apps are now designed for bigger screens, and the battery is getting tired. Never had a case for it, since it was most beautiful on its own. Great achievement in design. Great product. #apple #iPhone #tech." The iPhone 6 was only revealed on September 9.

Both posts were quickly deleted, but not before screencaptures began circulating the Internet. It's speculated that Rivers and/or her agent may have negotiated a deal with Apple, in which case the incident may have exposed one of the company efforts at celebrity endorsements.

In May, Apple posted a job listing for a "buzz marketing manager," whose role would specifically involve "constant and compelling exposure of Apple products with high-profile users, especially those in film and television." The company's main rival, Samsung, has previously put its phones in the hands of celebrities in order to boost exposure.

Rivers, often known for speaking her mind and being candid to the point of occasional controversy, may also have been using the post to sincerely express her appreciation of the iPhone 4, rather than pre-praising the iPhone 6. Many celebrities have communicated their admiration for various models of iPhone without any known pre-arrangement or compensation from Apple.


( Last edited by NewsPoster; Sep 19, 2014 at 09:50 PM. )
     
Makosuke
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Sep 19, 2014, 04:16 PM
 
That's somewhere between weird little technical slip-up and utterly catastrophic marketing gaffe. (You do wonder if they gave her pre-release access to the 6, like some reviewers, or if it was completely produced by marketing wonks and just copy-and-pasted.)

In any case, though, this does open up the idea that someone who knew they were not well could very intentionally schedule something similar--be it marketing, political statement, or joke--to kick in after their death, a la the death switches some techies have set to kick in if they don't reset the clock and email loved ones or business contacts with important info.

You could have *years* of planned commentary queued up on social media, set to automatically post on dates you either guessed would be correct or you knew something would happen on, all set to happen after your own death. Or maybe an online casino will link an ad contract with a dying person to queue up a bunch of plugs prior to their death, so they can brag they have a ghost advertising for them.
     
Flying Meat
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Sep 19, 2014, 04:38 PM
 
I prefer to think that the iPhone 6 is so awesome, Joan Rivers returned from the dead to trade in her iPhone 4.
     
phillymjs
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Sep 19, 2014, 05:04 PM
 
I'm reserving judgement until I read what Steve has to say about this.
     
just a poster
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Sep 19, 2014, 05:09 PM
 
Gotta love Apple's new attention to detail. No, really, you GOTTA love it. And they want to sell gold watches? ha ha ha.
     
bobolicious
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Sep 19, 2014, 05:14 PM
 
Joan Rivers was (to me) one of the more credible comedians in that she was so often directing her sarcasm on herself... Her tragic departure in no way (to me) would diminish sincere accolades of both the prior and current iphones - personally I suspect (have not seen in person) this truly will be a favorite iphone design by a long shot, harkening back to the original candy bar rounded edge format...

I have to believe that if she truly loved the design, Rivers would have wanted her support known, if now in a universe of different context... How that gets published obviously begs a sensitive and respectful approach, arguably with the support of her family... It may be in fact one of her last intended public representations...
     
Spheric Harlot
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Sep 19, 2014, 05:28 PM
 
Originally Posted by phillymjs View Post
I'm reserving judgement until I read what Steve has to say about this.
You have won the internet for today.
     
DiabloConQueso
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Sep 19, 2014, 05:39 PM
 
"Gotta love Apple's new attention to detail. No, really, you GOTTA love it. And they want to sell gold watches? ha ha ha."

Apple had no part in this other that negotiating the plug pre-Rivers'-death. Read the article, FFS. It was those in control of Joan River's Instagram and Facebook accounts.
     
Charles Martin
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Sep 19, 2014, 10:45 PM
 
I heard Rivers was just dying to get a new iPhone 6. #toosoon #ohgrowup
Charles Martin
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Jeronimo2000
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Sep 20, 2014, 02:17 AM
 
Hang on a minute here. You're all missing the REAL question.

""I got this one [an iPhone 4] in 2010" - only that the picture shows... an iPhone 4 S!! *dum dum DUUUMMMMM*

How did she get that ONE YEAR before everyone else? That's the spooky part, if you ask me.
     
coffeetime
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Sep 20, 2014, 08:12 PM
 
It's all marketing. Joan had already paid for it and might as well post it. They were usually done ahead of time. Those social network sites weren't written directly by celebrity themselves but rather the marketing department that wrote it and had the celebrities signed off ahead of time before posting them on a scheduled date.
     
Grendelmon
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Sep 22, 2014, 09:24 AM
 
Capitalistic infestation of "social" media.

The internet is repeating itself: "AOL Keyword iPhone"
     
   
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