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The Reconstruction Begins: Tiger Woods & Nike

April 8, 2010 /

I’m as tired of the Tiger Woods story as you are.  Really.

However, I’ve seen a ton of nonsense about the first Tiger Woods ad to appear since the revelation of his extensive sexual indiscretions.

Two main categories of nonsense:

  • The ad is an expression of greed by Tiger Woods and Nike
  • The ad is a personal message from Tiger Woods himself

First: of course it’s greed!  The primary reason any athlete signs an endorsement deal and the primary reason any company extends one is, not surprisingly, profit motive on mutually acceptable terms.  The athlete provides associations the brand, product or company wants in order to increase sales.  The brand, product or company provides the athlete money in exchange.  It’s really that simple, so I won’t go any further with this ridiculously easy criticism of the ad and its existence.

Second: an agency (Wieden+Kenney) carefully created this message on behalf of Nike and Tiger Woods.  It’s not a personal message to you from Tiger Woods; do not accept it as such, narcissist.  It’s not a public acknowledgment of indiscretion by Tiger Woods – he’s provided one (sadly, by force).  It’s not a public apology by Tiger Woods – he’s already provided this, too.

So what is it?  It’s polarizing.  It’s talked-about.  It’s the beginning of the reconstruction of Tiger Woods’ image by a brand that stuck with him through the debacle.

Most of the negative remarks are the rightful result of Tiger-fatigue, so nonsense gets a pass.

Here’s the ad:

Here’s a transcription:  “Tiger … I am more prone to be inquisitive … to promote discussion.  I want to find out what your thinking was.  I want to find out what your feelings are.  And did you learn anything.”

Though it would have been the safest option, the absence of a Tiger Woods ad altogether during The Masters would have been quite conspicuous.

Since Nike decided instead to be present, their agency was presented a serious creative challenge.  Nike needs to turn back on as soon as possible the Tiger Woods cash machine they’ve built over the past decade or so.  The challenge: where and how does the reconstruction of the TW personal and brand images begin!?

A few thoughts about this execution:

  • Took the situation head on (did not gloss over it, ignore it or jump past it)
  • Visually simple and clean (no amazing shots, cheering crowds, triumphant victories)
  • Audibly simple and clean (no music, a couple bird chirps, dad’s voice)
  • Dad-as-conscience device works (no one wants to hear from Tiger or generic voiceguy)
  • Message is vague, curious and sensitive (no bold statements or declarations)
  • White logos over black vest and cap absolutely jump off (clearly present with being in your face)
  • All things considered, an above-average starting point (where would you have started!?)

I personally abhor Woods’ selfish and unfaithful behavior.  Though I know nothing about the science behind it, “sexual addiction” strikes me as a weak excuse for weak-minded, shameful behavior.  Climbing down off my moral high horse, as too few are wont to do, I accept this commercial message as the start of the reconstruction.

The commercial doesn’t “speak” to me.  It does not feel to me significant, impressive or provocative in any way.  It does feel a bit human, which is a good start.

Bottom line: Tiger Woods is a living case study that will eventually be published in formal marketing texts.  I don’t know how it will read or how I will feel about this commercial a year or two from now, but today it feels OK.  Nike’s got to fire back up that cash machine slowly and carefully.

Related: I’m quite curious about the original context of the recording, as Earl Woods passed away in 2006.

Also related: considering the financial stakes, “Brand Tiger Woods” moved far too slowly as the PR crisis rolled out and built up.  They had no control over public perception as more and more women emerged with allegations.  The online, print and television tabloids went burned wildly with the story.  To control the flames, it’s always best to be first and to be honest and to in times of crisis.

Reminded Of It In People

April 1, 2010 /

Music has once again restored my faith in humanity, which happens on occasion.  The right recording at the right place at the right time can provide transcendence from the moment, from the ills, from the weights.

Beautiful, heterogeneous, smart, messy, multi-layered, demanding, colorful, complex.  I could go on.

These are things that I found a couple afternoons back in an album crafted by a collective of more than a dozen humans.

They’re also things I enjoy and appreciate in my life, in my family and in my friends.

Rightfully, the title of the album is “You Forgot It In People.”

Broken Social Scene, You Forgot It In People, Arts and Crafts, musicians, band photo

“You Forgot It In People” is a 2002 album from Canadian indie pop/rock outfit Broken Social Scene on the Arts and Crafts label.

I’m grateful for humans who have the courage to pursue artistic and creative careers.  They’re vital to our transcendent moments.

Yelp Needs Help!

March 18, 2010 /

A couple weeks back, one of my Facebook friends posted a story about two class-action proceedings against Yelp.  Today, I saw the latest from Inc. – “Yelp’s Legal Troubles Mount” – about a third lawsuit.  I was immediately moved to write this.

First: Yelp is an online customer review site.  As the trademarked tagline under the logo says: “Real People.  Real Reviews.”  Dry cleaners.  Restaurants.  Schools.  Whatever.  Yelp offers real insights about all kinds of operations in all kinds of towns all across the country (their site says they’re in the UK now, too).
Yelp. Real People. Real Reviews.

The basic allegations are of extortion and fraud.  The charge: Yelp reps threaten to highlight negative reviews, bury positive reviews, manipulate awards, etc. if you refuse their offers of a couple/few hundred dollars a month of advertising services.  Yelp threatens to make your business look bad, presumably still in customers’ own words.  Allegedly.

These allegations are coming from a couple dozen businesses of different kinds in different cities.

Let’s assume they’ve done no such thing, as co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman suggests in a March 4 blog post.  They’ve obviously done enough to elicit the appearance of impropriety.

What matters: trust.  There’s nothing more important than trust, especially if you’re Yelp.

A quick review and analysis of Yelp’s tagline:

  • They trademarked it, so they must care about it
  • The word “Real” constitutes 50% of it
  • The opposite of “Real” is “Fake”
  • They obviously want to distinguish their reviews as credible
  • Credibility in online reviews is often in question

Why would a company that depends on credibility, authenticity and “real” allow business practices to be sufficiently institutionalized in their culture to find themselves in this position?  If customers have any sense at all that the reviews are dishonest in any way, their entire purpose for using the service evaporates.

And for what?  A little short-term cash?  I know times are tough, but why go to heavy-handed sales tactics that are bound to bite back in the end?  Whatever they gained through these tactics will likely be devoured five or ten fold by newly incurred legal fees.

Even if Yelp successfully defends against the three class-action lawsuits (and no more pop up), the appearance of impropriety threatens fundamentally everything upon which the brand is built.  This is a potentially mortal insult added to the injury of the time and money tied up in legal proceedings.  And they brought it upon themselves.

Legal, operational, image and otherwise … Yelp needs help!

Like Father, Like Son: Hughes

September 24, 2009 /

The recent passing of John Huges brought an outpouring of memories and appreciation from all kinds of people, all over the world, on all the social platforms.  A wildly-celebrated American filmmaker, Hughes directed many 80’s classics, including this amazing run:

Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), Weird Science (1986), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1987), Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

His credits as writer and producer are even more impressive.  His greatest commercial success, Home Alone, has become a holiday classic.  Full career details can be reviewed here on his IMDB page.

Born John Wilden Hughes, Jr, in Lansing, Michigan, he built his career and filmed extensively in Chicago, Illinois.  His films raised a mirror to 80’s teen culture and employed music quite rightly and very smartly.  It’s no coincidence that his son, John Hughes III, is a wonderfully creative musician living, working, and running a record label in Chicago.

Father and Son: Hughes

From Carl Sandburg’s “City of the Big Shoulders” comes Hefty Records, created and run by John Hughes III.  Specializing in electronic and experimental music, the label’s current concept of self is “Future Roots Music.”  The concept’s best exemplified in the album “We All Have a Plan” by Slicker (Hughes’ recording name).  Think: the intersection of pop, dub, jazz, hip hop and electronic.

I really love that album, except for – somewhat surprisingly – the first single.  I own many Hefty releases, including those from Telefon Tel Aviv, Solo Andata, L’Altra, Phil Ranelin, and, of course, Slicker.  I’ve seen many Hefty performances, most memorably series of sets at a 2001 summer solstice party at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.  I greatly admired Hefty’s reissuing and re-mixing of the work of Detroit trombonist Phil Ranelin, introducing it to new audiences in new ways.

The point of the post: to recognize and celebrate the work of both men, father and son, pursuing personal passions to the benefit of us all.

A couple links (just click the description):

A rare John Huges interview in which he discusses “Reach the Rock,” which incorporates Chicago, his son, music, and indie filmmaking.

The Chicagoist interviews John Hughes III on the 10th anniversary of Hefty Records.

UP NEXT: an interesting “Like Son, Don’t Like Father” post about a musician and a crafty bastard, respectively.

Be a Winner at the Game of Life

September 16, 2009 /

One of the game our family plays at home is one you might remember: “Life.”

I played it as a kid and fondly recall this 80’s jingle, imploring you to “be a winner at the game of Life:”

Life has since been updated.  We’ve got a 2007 edition with updated scenarios (“Buy an SUV!  Pay $40,000” or “Win a TV Singing Contest!  Collect $100,000”), as well as more current jobs, costs, salaries, graphics, and more.  The awesome, spinning wheel in the center of the board and charming, plastic buildings and mountains remain.

The Game of Life

Our 6-year-old loves the game, serves as banker, and frequently wins.  The question: is he learning the right Life lessons!?

At the outset, you decide if you want to borrow $100,000 to attend college, increasing the likelihood you land a higher paying job, or if you want to head straight into the working world debt-free.  Marriage, homebuying, children, and grandchildren arrive in sequence.  Various opportunities and pitfalls await.  You earn valuable “Life” chips when you vote, learn sign language, visit a foreign country, or similar.

Basic takeaways: go to school, get a decent job, earn a respectable wage, expect some bumps along the road … basic, traditional, and straighforward.

Owen’s takeaway: Spin to Win!

Interestingly, in earlier editions of the game, this “Spin to Win” portion of the game was positioned as “playing the stock market.”  Now – it’s transparently a straight-up gamble – a 1 in 10 chance that pays back 10x over.  You’re in a much better position – 4 in 10 chance – if you’ve got a special card that allows you to place your bet on 4 numbers instead of just 1.

The Game of Life - Spin to Win

Example: someone lands on a Spin to Win space.  You opt to participate.  You put $100,000 on “2.”  The spin stops at “2” – you get $1,000,000.

Owen recently won a game with more than $9,000,000!  There isn’t enough cash in the bank to cover that, nor are there enough high-end properties (Mansion, Penthouse, Luxury Mountain Retreat) to hold that value.

A year ago, when we first started playing, a winning score was more like $1,725,000.  However, it has since become obvious to our child that putting it all out there at every opportunity is the recipe for success.

At this point, each of us has no chance of winning the game of “Life” without taking an aggressive approach to “Spin to Win.”  This new practice is dictated by the play of our child.

If you want to “be a winner at the game of Life,” you have to gamble big and gamble often.

Do you think that’s a good lesson?

Test My Emissions, Please!

September 12, 2009 /
Tailpipe

Some initiatives should not be undertaken.  A primary consideration: the level of difficulty or expense of getting it up and running relative to the ultimate benefit or payoff of the initiative.

Killing off an initiative that’s running effectively?  Painful to watch.

Premise of this entire post: beautifully clear, blue skies and clean, mountain air are significant selling points to those considering moving to or even visiting the Pikes Peak region.

When I arrived in Colorado Springs in September 2006, I had to have my vehicle’s emissions tested prior to earning a Colorado license plate.  I was registering a 1997 Dodge Stratus, neither a new nor high-quality vehicle.  The $25 test seemed reasonable and fair.

I was among the last people to have his or her car’s emissions tested.

These tests had been required in El Paso County since 1982, either annually or bienially depending on the age of the car.  These tests were killed off when the program that required them (which had the fantastic acronym AIR) expired.

Primary arguments in support of eliminating emissions tests: advances in fuel and engine technologies made emissions cleaner and regional air quality was within federal safety standards.

My thoughts about continuing the program: a network of test-providers had been built – just about every auto service shop could execute it.  The program was apparently effective.  The county got a cut of each test; why cut off even a modest source of funding?  Federal safety standards and general air quality “improvement” is an extremely conservative goal.

As the entire Front Range continues to develop into one Megalopolis from Fort Collins to Pueblo, the beauty of our region and health of our neighbors should remain top concerns.  Why settle for simple, measurable “improvement?”  Why not seek perpetually cleaner?

From a marketing standpoint, why shouldn’t the Pikes Peak region aspire to and work toward “the clearest skies in the Rockies” or the “cleanest air in the West?”  Colorado is as much as state of mind as it is a physical place or U.S. state; inspiring, majestic views and impossibly blue skies are the foundation of this concept.

To connect back to the introduction: I understand not initiating an emissions testing program because it’s complicated and costly.  However, I can’t understand killing one off once it’s successfully up and running.

Rather than kill the program, modifications would have been preferred by this writer and local resident.

Two obvious, potential modifications: limit the age of cars that require testing, excluding the newest vehicles completely – and/or – extend the periods of time between required tests from one or two years to three or four years.

Once the program is killed, all momentum is lost.  When we lose our views to haze or suffer more respiratory ills, the program will be much more difficult and costly to reinstate.

Further reading:

Press Release: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Newspaper Article: Colorado Springs Gazette from BNET (contains additional, related links)

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