Tiger Woods' Public Relations Failures
if you haven't heard about the Tiger Woods story by now, then come from out underneath the rock you've been hiding under.
Despite what you may think of Woods and his indiscretions or what you may think of him being back on the golf course in the distant future, one thing is unmistaken, his fall from PR and marketing grace was faster than the speed of light.
Here's the list to date: Gatorade drops his drink; prime-time TV spots featuring Woods are shelved; the bid to recognize him with the highest honor a civilian can get by the US is toast; AT&T and Gillette are potentially parting ways with him; and his relationship with Buick was canceled before the incident, but at this point, who really knows the truth?
I'm guessing that this list will grow more as the story takes additional twists and turns. Regardless of how things fall out, here's why Woods is losing a stronghold on endorsements and his marketability:
1. The minute the story broke of the car accident, his team should have had a vague prepared statement that scratched the surface as it related to the seriousness of the situation—i.e. this was more than an accident and the truth will come out soon.
2. He should have apologized to his wife publicly (on camera) and came out with the entire truth (regardless of how deep and disgusting it took his reputation down the rabbit hole). If he didn't want to take this tactic, he should have had a lawyer or a family representative speak to the media on his behalf. Written statements in a volatile situation like that just flame the fire even more.
3. He should have talked to the police immediately and told the media that he did so.
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