iSheep

iSheep was originally a SanDisk marketing description of users of Apple's iPod music player instead of SanDisk's own Sansa player. The marketing term is borrowed by some in tech sites and forums as an insult to a person who is an Apple Inc. products fan.[1] The term is often used to bash Apple fanboys who over-advocate or promote the 'Apple cult' in online discussions, those usually involve fanboy wars over popular smartphone brands or manufacturers.

History

The term was introduced in May 2006 when SanDisk launched the "iDon’t" campaign to advertise the SanDisk Sansa.[2] iDon't calls on "free thinkers" to "break-free from restrictive formats and a single source for music," with slogans such as "You do not need to follow." The Campaign's site offered T-shirts, posters, and stickers featuring a monkey and asking, "Are you an iChimp?" Another image showed a sheep and says, "iSheep say Baah." while another showed a donkey trying to bite a carrot dangling in front of its face with the slogan "iFollow."[3][4][5]

The iSheep campaign was abandoned in July 2006, to give way to the "Lil'Monsta" mascot campaign.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "www.vectronicsappleworld.com/2006/0804.asp".
  2. ↑ LC Angell (May 22, 2006). "SanDisk launches ‘iDon’t’ anti-iPod campaign". iLounge. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  3. ↑ Lance Ulanoff (June 12, 2006). "Are iPod Owners Sheep?". PC Magazine. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Une campagne de pub se moque de l'usager de l'iPod, mouton de la mode" (in French). AFP. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  5. ↑ T.O. Whenham (May 23, 2006). "SanDisk launches anti-iPod campaign". Mobile Magazine. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  6. ↑ "SanDisk Sacrifices 'iSheep' Ads To 'Lil' Monsta'". PC Magazine. Retrieved October 12, 2012.