Friday 9 April 2010

THE NEW NIKE TIGER WOODS AD. GENIUS OR CREEPY?

Nike has wasted no time in capitalising even further on Tiger Woods’ public appeal.
When Tiger Woods’ squeaky-clean image was tainted by his extra-marital sexual exploits, many of his sponsors dropped him like a hot potato.

But one of his main sponsors sat quietly in the wings, waiting and scheming.

It is highly debateable whether the new Nike ad, featuring the voice of Woods’ father, will sell shoes, but with more than 700 000 views on Youtube already, it is guaranteed to create huge public interest.

The 30-second ad, which began airing on Wednesday, stars Woods in his first commercial since a sex scandal prompted some sponsors to distance themselves from the world's No. 1 golfer and onetime most marketable athlete.

Two separate polls on the public reaction to the ad show conflicting reports.
One poll showed that 63% of viewers said they liked it, while the second poll shows that 77% thought it was ‘PR bullshit.’

Dave Zirin, The Nation's sports correspondent, suggested that the spot represents a "cultural rock bottom".
"The idea that Tiger and Nike would see the incredible turmoil that has engulfed Tiger's life as an opportunity to rebrand Tiger and sell us more swoosh-laden crap is simply sickening." Zirin wrote in the left-wing magazine.

So is using the voice of Tiger Woods’ deceased father a piece of genius marketing or just plain creepy?
You be the judge.

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Kader Khan