So, I’ve just watched the new Tiger ad for the gazillionth time. I guess it’s good to know that Nike still supports Tiger. Let’s face it – what Tiger did was downright sleazy. A beautiful wife, a fantastic life and he goes and plays around with wanton women? What are you thinking Tiger? Think with your brain, not with the little guy between your legs! Nonetheless, I have talked about that issue extensively and it’s not the topic for today’s post.
What is the topic though, is the new ad. In a nutshell, I echo the sentiments of Ian Mackellar of BBDO Toronto. He says it’s “creepy” and I agree.
First, as close as Tiger was to his dad, his dead is dead and to make matters worse, his dad died in May 2006, possibly even before his son started fooling around and certainly before Tiger’s out-of-control sexual desires became public.
Second, it’s eerie. No, make that very eerie. The late Mr. Woods says “I am more prone to be inquisitive. I want to find out what your thinking was. I want to find out what your feelings are and did you learn anything.” It’s almost like:
1. The late Mr. Woods had some sort of premonition of his son’s philandering
2. The words of the late Mr. Woods could have been attributed to anything that would play itself out in his son’s life
3. Thanks to technology, it was not the voice of the late Mr. Woods, but rather a Mr. Woods sound-alike
In any event, it’s very eerie and I don’t like that aspect of the ad
Three, by all means be subtle, but if this is Tiger’s re-entry statement into golf, it’s extremely weak. Tiger’s not talking. Tiger’s not playing. Tiger’s not doing anything. He’s motionless. Perhaps paralyzed with fear? Me thinks so.
I think Shawn King, vice-president and chief creative officer, Extreme Group said it well and make a very good point here - "This the first time I've watched a Nike ad for golf and thought more about Nike than I did Tiger Woods." - And that is exactly what Nike wants. It wants us to think more about it, than either Tiger or the game. Mission accomplished Nike.
Now, I know Tiger’s been dragged through hell and back the past few months, and while I don’t condone playing around, he really has paid for it --- big time.
Did Nike do the right thing? Absolutely. Take it a step further. Nike is a brilliant marketing machine. The ad rocks, in a macabre, sinister way. Most other brands loved Tiger as long as he was at the top. As soon as they sniffed trouble, they ran for the hills as fast as they could. Nike actually supported Tiger even during his darkest hours – and they did not get into his poor behaviour.
Tiger’s poor behaviour does not say much about him as a human and only time will tell whether he has what it takes to compete at the sport’s highest levels. Let’s see what happens in Augusta this week.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Five Steps To Know In Building Out Your Social Media Plan
As social media continues to dominate the PR landscape, I certainly believe that social media can propel your business to the next level. And while you discuss its benefits with your friends and your co-workers — but you just can’t seem to get things moving. Maybe the executive team isn’t listening, or maybe you just haven’t done what it takes to be heard.
Ever since we became involved with social media (about 18 months ago), I’ve been keeping a list of tips about what has worked within companies — including ours.
Start small and test. Regardless of what your job function is, find a piece that you think may benefit from social media. In sales? Prospect in LinkedIn or Twitter. In HR? Build out your presence and post open positions on Facebook. Just make sure to keep close track of the time that you spend — as that will undoubtedly be asked of you.
Record victories. You’ve been keeping track of your efforts and now have made progress. Anecdotal wins are great, but hard data is what is going to resonate with the most senior of audiences. Document any numbers you can: page views, conversions, leads, hires, sales, etc.
Communicate. This is a critical juncture. When enough victories (and the accompanying data) have been amassed, it’s time to let key people know. Start with your boss– mentioning the wins and focus on efficiency. Think, “I spent an extra two hours this week networking and sharing information on Twitter, and I have landed three new, strong leads.” While you may be excited and want to go direct to the C-Suite with this information, I caution you to communicate in ways that show you’re in this for the long haul. It’s important to generate as many allies as possible– and your boss is key.
Assemble an interdepartmental team. Meet individually with the heads of each function/group/department. In all conversations, try your best to leave out the phrase “social media” if at all possible. The point of these “new strategies” is to help meet existing goals. If you introduce the group you’re assembling to senior leaders as a “social-media team,” they might assume it’s an experiment of sorts. This is about using new channels to achieve company goals, not about trying to get more fans on Facebook. Allow the heads of each department to select his/her own representative on the team. If you align the team with core goals, department heads will be less likely to appoint junior staff members.
Produce. Now that you have a interdepartmental team, the collective voice is stronger, and “vetted” projects can take shape. This team should continue to test, record and report victories — now with the attention of the C-Suite.
Ever since we became involved with social media (about 18 months ago), I’ve been keeping a list of tips about what has worked within companies — including ours.
Start small and test. Regardless of what your job function is, find a piece that you think may benefit from social media. In sales? Prospect in LinkedIn or Twitter. In HR? Build out your presence and post open positions on Facebook. Just make sure to keep close track of the time that you spend — as that will undoubtedly be asked of you.
Record victories. You’ve been keeping track of your efforts and now have made progress. Anecdotal wins are great, but hard data is what is going to resonate with the most senior of audiences. Document any numbers you can: page views, conversions, leads, hires, sales, etc.
Communicate. This is a critical juncture. When enough victories (and the accompanying data) have been amassed, it’s time to let key people know. Start with your boss– mentioning the wins and focus on efficiency. Think, “I spent an extra two hours this week networking and sharing information on Twitter, and I have landed three new, strong leads.” While you may be excited and want to go direct to the C-Suite with this information, I caution you to communicate in ways that show you’re in this for the long haul. It’s important to generate as many allies as possible– and your boss is key.
Assemble an interdepartmental team. Meet individually with the heads of each function/group/department. In all conversations, try your best to leave out the phrase “social media” if at all possible. The point of these “new strategies” is to help meet existing goals. If you introduce the group you’re assembling to senior leaders as a “social-media team,” they might assume it’s an experiment of sorts. This is about using new channels to achieve company goals, not about trying to get more fans on Facebook. Allow the heads of each department to select his/her own representative on the team. If you align the team with core goals, department heads will be less likely to appoint junior staff members.
Produce. Now that you have a interdepartmental team, the collective voice is stronger, and “vetted” projects can take shape. This team should continue to test, record and report victories — now with the attention of the C-Suite.
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