Why is Apple showing Nelson Mandela on their home page?

I was thinking about looking at Apple products again. Money in hand I went to their website to look for ideas for things to get because I'm a sucker like the rest of society... then I saw this on their homepage. Yes that's Nelson Mandela.

Screenshot of the Apple homepage 12/13/2013

Now to say Nelson Mandela was a great leader of men is an understatement. A super strong figure in the world who stood up for people other than himself. He effected great change in millions while he was alive. He changed the way people think about other people, and he brought into the light a huge issue in his country... an issue he helped to fix. You can read more about his awesomeness in the link.

Apple on the other hand has been shown time and time again their short comings in terms of how they quite oppositely create great divides in people. Apple perpetuates classes, not only in the markets they sell to, but in the workforces that make Apple products. This next year Apple will have to prove that they aren't using slave labor.

So back to my original question, why is Apple showing Nelson Mandela on their home page?

Well for that, the answer is simple. He's an excellent graphic hook. That's pretty much it. Oh, and by showing him on their homepage it makes them appear to be not as bad. No links to anything talking about how great of a man he was that might distract from the almighty marketing machine that IS APPLE however.  Additionally, research shows that a smiling handsome man who reminds everyone of their elders and all that is good in the world makes people happy. It makes us warm inside. It makes people a little more likely to let lose of their tight grip on the money needed to buy a phone or some other device.

Well this holiday season while the people at the Apple store work for their low wages, and the people in China and other countries where they make the components that go into the Apple devices will not be with their loved ones, remember that marketing is everywhere. Marketing changes who we are. It changes what we do. It changes our perceptions of everything. Marketing is the art of fooling the masses. And just because a company like Apple shows Nelson Mandela on their homepage doesn't mean they've changed their ways. It just means they've found another way to fool people into not seeing them for what they are... a company focused on their bottom line.

I work in marketing and I think what they've done here is wrong. Apple has gone too far. Share this if you agree.