Opportunity Knocking

Just another Tiger Woods Blog...

I know we all are probably suffering from Tiger Woods overload at this point. Although the media storm had died down and it had been six weeks since another mistress came out of the woodwork or vague statement had been posted on Tigers' Web site, I couldn’t resist.

There’s been a Tiger sighting! Well, maybe… Recent reports have surfaced throughout the last week that Tiger was holed up in a Mississippi sexual addiction rehab clinic. “Sources” reported Tiger sighting’s throughout the small town of Hattiesburg. Then came the photo. First shown on Radaronline.com and published by the National Inquirer, the photo certainly looks like Tiger, doesn’t it? I let you decide but in the court of public opinion, Tiger has been located.

Either way, this is just the latest chapter that is the PR nightmare for Tiger Woods. While it’s certainly a step in the right direction for Tiger personally to get the help he needs, what worse way would there be for this information to be found than plastered on the front pages of the National Inquirer (again)? By not controlling the situation and information being dispersed, Tiger’s camp is again allowing his public perception to be made by the tabloids. Not really the people you want to trust to make you look good.

America loves nothing more than a comeback story, just ask Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankeeswho quickly admitted his HGH use when he was named in baseball’s Mitchell report and was one of the heroes of New York’s World Series championship. Tiger cannot start his comeback until he faces the information that has been discovered since that fateful day in November and lets the world know what he is doing to help get his life back on track. Otherwise, this won’t be the last grainy photo that may or may not be Tiger to be posted on the cover of a tabloid.

Marketing Opportunities Await, Is “The Machine” Man Enough to Make them Work?

 

What do you think when you think of Albert Pujols?  Triple Crown Threat?  World Series Champ?  Half-Man, Half-Machine?  Regardless, whether you’re a Cards lover or hater it’s impossible to pinpoint a weakness in his game.  Just look at his stats this year: .332 BA, 32 HR, 87 RBI, .456 OBP, .723 SLG, 1.179 OPS, and 10 SB.  He’s putting up those numbers (1^st in the MLB in each category above except BA and SB’s) while striking out only 35 times in 307 at bats and consistently making highlight reel plays at first base.  Quite frankly, the man is having an absurd season and will have a more than legitimate chance to become the first triple crown winner since Yaz in the sixties.

What’s even more absurd is that he’s having a career year (or as close to a career year as a lifetime .334 BA, .427 OBP, .630 SLG hitter can achieve) and he has rarely been the top headline.  As in the past, the media has been fixated with underdog stories like Zack Greinke and Raul Ibanez and the continuing steroids saga as A-Rod and Sammy Sosa have been exposed as former users.  The media loves new or controversial stories: phenoms like Bryce Harper, lovable underdogs like last year’s Rays, and, obviously, Manny continuing to be Manny (whatever that means nowadays). 

In the midst of the fresh excitement, this year, like every other year, you’ll find Albert being, well, Albert.  ESPN got it right: he is no doubt “a machine.”  But where is his media buzz?  Why do we see Josh Hamilton, and not Pujols, on ESPN every day when he was on the DL for the better part of the first half?  Why does Jimmy Rollins, and not Pujols, lock up a lucrative deal with Red Bull when his career and season numbers pale in comparison?

I’ll tell you why: Albert hasn’t achieved his marketable potential.  Sure he just signed a deal with Nike but he is far from the face of that brand.  He is well-spoken and well-intentioned as he possesses a humble personality and has established his own charity but he lacks the charisma and charm that drive marketability.  What’s his story?  What challenges has he faced in his life?  What are his interests?  What does he do away from the field?  WHO IS ALBERT PUJOLS?

Obviously, nothing is better for your marketing potential than being a machine on the field.  His in-game production, flawless image, and superb baseball IQ have won him excellent credibility amongst his teammates and other players.  But until Albert can shed the mechanical image off the field, his marketability will remain low.  For endorsement deals to work there must be a solid connection between the athlete’s interests and the brand he/she is promoting.  Only then will the athlete endorsement ring true with fans and consumers alike. 

So please Albert fill out a simple survey and list out your favorite consumer products.  Talking to a copy machine is great, but you can do so much more because you are, quite simply, “El Hombre.”  

Rebranding of a Champion

Today you can find Lakers star Kobe Bryant everywhere.  Conan O’Brien, Nike and ESPN are all hailing him and his fourth NBA championship.  The spotlight isn’t anything new for Kobe.  The only difference is that now Kobe's face is on a Wheaties Box instead of the police blotter. The events of July 2003 in Eagle, CO robbed the NBA of its MJ (Michael Jordan) heir apparent, and cost Kobe millions in endorsements deals that suddenly were extinct, including lucrative deals with McDonald’s, Spalding and Coca-Cola. His No.8 Lakers jersey, the NBA’s top seller before his arrest, plummeted out of the top 50 in sales. Whether he was actually guilty of the charges or the front office meddling afterwards is immaterial - association with these types of allegations can be career ending to someone who makes their money in the public eye.

Now, amazingly, he has not only returned to championship glory, but he has returned to the mainstream and has once again become a role model to kids across the nation. His high profile campaigns with Vitamin Water and Nike’s attention grabbing Most Valuable Puppets campaign show you how much Bryant’s image has changed in just six years.  

Kobe accepted that he would never have the universal MJ appeal after what happened. So instead of worrying about being the game’s brightest star in the media – he gradually built himself back up through a complete rebranding of his image, including a change of numbers from No.8 to No.24 – he has shown the world he can still shine on the court. Of course, having LeBron James as the NBA’s new poster boy has helped, but Kobe has rebounded by rebranding himself as Mr. Performance. You may not like him as a person, but his will to win makes you respect him as a player.  

This effort has paid off in a big way. Kobe’s No.24 jersey is now the NBA’s top jersey sold in the world.  He is a video game cover athlete again and Nike has re-launched the Kobe Zoom shoe brand, products largely marketed to adolescents. Kobe was the 5th highest paid pro athlete endorser in the US in 2008, a fact that would have been thought impossible six years ago and would never have been possible without the rebranding of his image.

Are you there John Wall? It's me, your Public Image.

It was leaked on Monday that high school basketball phenom John Wall was charged with breaking and entering on April 27 at an unoccupied home in Raleigh, N.C.  While there was no indication of forced entry or that anything was stolen from the house - this was an epic PR fail for the Wall camp.

Wall, 18, is a 6-foot-4 senior point guard from Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh with skills that have people already likening him to Chris Pauland Isiah Thomas. 

All indications currently point to this not affecting his standing with the colleges that are currently vying for his basketball services (Duke, N.C. State, Baylor and Kansas seem to be the front runners). They don't care if his character is questionable or not - and maybe it isn't - they just want to win.

His character isn't my issue with the situation - my issue is with the people that are surrounding him.  Although he can't legally have a "PR team" right now - he has plenty of people tending to him and making sure he can get the most money out of his talent when he goes to the NBA in a year. 

How can this group of people not stress to John the importance of being a model citizen for the next year?  Not only is he now being questioned by the media, but the public is skeptical of him as well.  His seemingly easy road to riches in the NBA has just gotten extremely bumpy because he decided to act like a "regular" high school kid and do something dumb.  When you are the top high school basketball prospect in the nation, and in the public eye, you can't afford to do something dumb like a "regular" high school kid.  John has already failed to step up and apologize and that is mistake No.2.  Let's just say John and his camp are going to need to right the ship SOON.

What do you think about John Wall?  Should the public chastise him for his actions?  Should he apologize? What are some other current PR snafus in sports?

A new twist on an old approach

Thanks to all the great minds at the 919 office, we recently were able to put together an innovative new sports marketing program based around the ever-growing popularity of NASCAR.  State Water Heaters was looking for ways to reduce its total NASCAR spending, and add to their current Nationwide Series sponsorship, by maintaining ties to the sport on and off the track. We thought that hooking them back up with old friend (and Daytona 500 winner) Ward Burton would be just the ticket.

Before you put in your two cents (and those are always appreciated) - I'll stop right here and let you read what other people are saying first...

1. Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal 

Firm tires sponsorship alternative

2. SceneDaily.com

State Water Heaters alters approach to stay in NASCAR

3. The Dallas Morning News

NASCAR drivers easily tracked with social networking

The Greatest Motivator of all Time

Watching the UNC/Duke game last Wednesday night made me think of the best coach/ motivator of all time (in my humble opinion) – UCLA legend John Wooden. Below are a few gems from Coach Wooden that can apply to many different aspects of life. After reading, let me know some of your favorite quotes.  What makes them so great and who are they attributed to?

 

"Knowledge is not enough to get desired results. You must have the more elusive ability to teach and to motivate. This defines a leader; if you can't teach and you can't motivate, you can't lead."

"Happiness begins where selfishness ends."

"Ability will get you to the top, character will keep you there."

"A person must be interested in finding the best way, not in having their own way."

"Teamwork is not a preference, it is a requirement."

"Make sure team members know they are working with you, not for you."

"Winning games, titles and championships isn't all it's cracked up to be, but getting there, the journey, is a lot more than it's cracked up to be."

"Make every day your masterpiece."