'The last refuge of the coward'


Last month IGM reported on Korean MP3 player maker ReignCom's use of porn star Jenna Jameson (a story since pulled because of the infantile comments it attracted--Google cache) to promote its iRiver product line. Apparently, this effort has failed utterly as the company has issued a new marketing salvo in that country which paints iPod buyers as unpatriotic.

A write up on English.Chosun.com quotes the company's sweet-tongued, vitriolic newspaper ad, which ran on March 1, Korea's liberation day:

Does shouting "mansei" buck-naked make Korea independent? US firms are sweeping up most of the world's HDD-type MP3 player market... As a sovereign MP3 state, we could not simply sit back and watch ... After spending countless nights in the research room, we've finally produced a precious son for the world market... There will be many difficulties, but we are not afraid ... We are the descendents of martyrs who braved bullets and swords to bring about independence to the cry of "mansei."

Chosun's report also quotes an unnamed Reigncom official as saying, "Apple has stepped up an offensive to kill local MP3 manufacturers, so we placed the advertisement to coincide with March 1 Independence Movement Day."

This report echos efforts by Taiwanese MP3 makers to fend off Apple with price cuts. However, companies here have yet to resort to the use of "porn stars" or xenophobia.

Editor's note: "A sovereign mp3 state"--what in the name of Jobs does that mean? And, isn't it perfectly fitting that the Reigncom official refused to named. After all, nationalism the last refuge of the coward--he/she just took that little extra step so there would be no confusion as to his/her utter lack of character.

Oh, and never mind the tens of thousands of Americans who lost their lives to bring about and maintain Korea's independence.

What's your take?