Creative marketing pros keep watchful eye on Tiger Woods
Published February 23, 2010
While the decline and fall of Tiger Woods from his perch atop the world of golf was a stunning one, the similar decline suffered by Woods' oh-so-marketable image has been nothing short of catastrophic.
High-profile sponsors have deserted the golfer in droves, reflecting a solidifying public consensus that Woods is no longer the creative marketing gold mine that he once was. AT&T, Accenture, and numerous others have dropped their endorsement deals with Woods, and others who have not have nevertheless ceased to highlight Woods in their digital marketing campaigns.
The Boston Globe's Johnny Diaz writes that marketing analysts have questioned the lack of golf mentioned in Woods' press conference yesterday at which he apologized to his family and his fans. Harvard Business School professor Stephen Greyser told Diaz that "[Woods] built his brand of performance on the golf course," and that "the only chance he has to rebuild it will be on the golf course."
Including Woods in creative marketing efforts might be a bad move until his championship luster returns, if not his aura of personal responsibility.