I’m glad that savvy ad guy Terry O’Reilly has waded in on a subject that I (and a few million others) have been wondering about: how long corporate sponsors will choose to hang on to the marketing dead weight that is Tiger Woods. O’Reilly is a Canadian marketing whiz and co-author with Mike Tennant of The Age of Persuasion: How Marketing Ate Our Culture, as well as host of the popular CBC/Sirius Satellite radio program of the same name.  He sums up Tiger’s future in corporate endorsements with ESPN writer Rick Reilly‘s memorable quip:

“Tiger is the first human being in history to run into a hydrant, and set himself on fire.”

Now, just for a moment let’s forget about what Tiger did or did not do with dozens of those Girls With Big Hair. And really, can we honestly be that shocked, after all, to learn that wealthy, young, studly, celebrity superstar athletes are groping groupies on the side?

From a public relations perspective, however, the way this issue has been handled after the story broke has been far more damaging to his corporate marketability than the adultery itself.  “No comment” and three armed bodyguards? What was he thinking? It’s been wrong from the get-go, and a fiery topic among my PR pals whose expertise is to offer counsel on basic issues management and crisis communications – something that Tiger and his people seem to know tragically little about. Whether he loses millions through divorce or through endorsement contract loss, his problems are likely to get far worse before they get better.  Continue reading →