Power in Endorsements or Winning and its Impact on Brand
February 22, 2010 by Mary Ellen · 1 Comment
Once again Tiger Woods claimed the mainstream media spotlight. Widespread coverage of his press conference to apologize emphasized the importance we give to “bad boy” sports figures and their mistakes.
Did the apology work? Can we forgive the star?
I, for one, watched the replay and then followed coverage through the weekend: the management lessons, the pr lessons, the many things Tiger Woods can teach us and blah, blah, blah.
It seems to me this apology is too little, too contrived and too late.
Why are we so obsessed with celebrities and their shortcomings?
Tiger Woods created iconic images as he built golf to new heights. He had more wins and earned more endorsements than any sports figure in history. Everything about Tiger was squeaky-clean. Of course, that was his brand.
As it happens, the image of the hard-working, high-achieving golf star was just that: a myth. His brand image was shattered. Without a return to his game of choice, without continuing wins on the golf tour, will we indulge Tiger with forgiveness?
The key, of course, is the game. As a country, we seem ever-willing to forgive athletes: NFL quarterback Michael Vick, who pleaded guilty to dogfighting, is now yesterday’s news and he continues to play. NBA star Kobe Bryant, once front page theater is no longer of main-stream interest and he continues to play.Bode Miller, known for bad behavior and excessive arrogance at previous Olympics is now relished for his ever-present humility and, of course, his ability to win. Chris Del Bosco, the American/Canadian Ski Cross competitor has turned his life around and deserves a chance to be recognized for sobriety. He, too, wins and in so doing commands our respect.
Marketing is everything and everything you do is marketing. When you choose an athlete to represent your product or service, be sure that your marketing can handle the volatility of losing as well as winning.
When you choose to hitch your brand fortunes to a star ask yourself:
- Does my brand benefit from the score, the wins, this athlete brings to the game?
- Do those numbers outweigh the potential pitfalls of losing?
- What values (think morals) are important to me and to my brand?
- Can this star incorporate those values so my business is better because of its association?
- Is there a match in brands between my company and this athlete?
- How will my business fare if something goes wrong?
- What protection do I have for my product if this athlete makes a mistake? (i.e., a morals clause in the contract)
If you’re willing to take the chance, go forward.
Tiger Woods waited more than 90 days to explain his behavior. He then apologized in a stiff, contrived way to a hand-selected audience. He has yet to get back in the game.
With $110 million of endorsements at stake, most of the sponsors are betting their brand on how Tiger handles the game. Does this make their brand safe?
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