Roar of the Tiger
The return of Tiger Woods is a big deal in the golf world - and perhaps an even bigger deal in the sports marketing world.
Gatorade's got a new "Welcome Back Tiger" print ad in Sports Illustrated, and a Tiger Woods' themed sports drink in the works. NBC, which is broadcasting the final rounds of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship this weekend, Woods' first tournament since a knee injury in June, aired Woods-centered commericals just a few hours after he announced his return, according to The Wall Street Journal.
But perhaps the most winning Tiger Woods Is Back promo spot, from an entertainment standpoint, is a new Nike commercial that barely features him at all. The ad showcases the champagne-popping, photo shoot-posing, tournament-winning sweet life for golfers Stewart Cink, Trevor Immelman, Anthony Kim, and Justin Leonard during the months without Woods. The commercial's ending isn't so happy for them, but it is pretty funny. It turns out all five athletes have Nike endorsements, and the commercial's satiric tone and star power make it memorable.
But of course, while Nike may be promoting Woods', Woods' has certainly done his fair share of promoting Nike, and Gatorade, Tag Hauer, Accenture and other brands. The Journal piece predicts Woods will become the first billion-dollar athlete in about two years, and cites Nielsen data indicating that viewership of network-broadcasted golf tournaments without Woods' dropped 47%. And Woods' influence may matter more now than last year, with North American spending in sports, arts, cause and entertainment marketing rising 2.2% this year, the weakest growth rate in 24 years.
You can read more in the Journal article, provided you're a subscriber, by clicking here. USA Today also has details about the Nike ad, which is posted below.
