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Foxconn helps shift Apple iPhones with viral photo giveaway?

In marketing on 30 August 2008 with View Comments

There is a buzz on the blogosphere amongst iPhone users about iPhone Girl. A UK iPhone purchaser found pictures of one of the Foxconn factory workers on his phone when he activated it. Like other buzz campaigns such as the bring back Cadbury Wispa Facebook group fiasco, the orginators have up to now denied that it was a buzz marketing exercise.

Foxconn claim that the iPhone Girl was a member of staff and had not been expelled.

Xiandai Kuaibao claim that the photo may have been taken during production testing of the device.

This buzz has directed some attention away from the product criticisms of the new iPhone and a recent UK government censure for Apple regarding misleading advertising claims made about the new iPhone. Given the efforts of Apple’s PR (or this little video gem) and marketing teams subcontracting this work out to Foxconn makes perfect sense.

Foxconn‘s factories were alleged to have been described by Apple’s engineers as Mordor.  If nothing else the smiling girl in the pictures lends credibility to Foxconn’s claims that allegations of poor working conditions in its factories were without merit.

Kudos to MarkM49UK for the picture