The Tiger Commercial
Posted: April 8th, 2010 | Filed under: Other Sports, Pop Culture | 99 Comments »
The commercial begins with a stark black and white shot of Tiger Woods. He looks up into the camera. He blinks. He has a look of … well, it’s pretty inscrutable. Maybe he’s looking sad? Remorseful? Hungry? Like he’s posing for a portrait in the Victorian Age? Hard to say. He’s not an actor. Or he’s not a good actor. Or he’s a very good actor. The background is gray and unfocused. It may be a golf course back there. But this is not about golf. Tiger wears a hat with a Nike logo on it. He wears a sweater vest with a Nike logo on it. This is about … Nike.
“Tiger,” a voice says. A voice? No, it is not just a voice. It is a familiar voice. It is the voice of Earl Woods, Tiger’s dead father.
Tiger blinks again. Hard to get over the look — whatever emotion Tiger is trying to convey he now he seems to be giving it, in the words of the Japanese commercial director in Lost in Translation, “more intensity.” So he is more remorseful … more sad … more hungry … more mysterious.
Discussion question: Is this voice from the afterlife supposed to be going on in Tiger’s head? Is this a 30-second version of Hamlet?
Earl Woods’ voice continues:
“I am more prone to be inquisitive to promote discussion,” he says.
What a strange thing to say. When did Earl Woods say this? What was he referring to when he said it? Is this Earl Woods discussing a time on the golf course when a young Tiger decided to use driver when 3-wood would have been more sensible? A time when Tiger lost a tournament in the final few holes because he did not stay composed? A time when Tiger committed some childish indiscretion? A time — as several people seem to think — when Earl was simply explaining how he taught Tiger to play golf? Or are we supposed to take away that Earl Woods, much like the father of Superman, left behind ice crystal lessons to fit any situation. “If you find yourself having cheated repeatedly on your wife and in the midst of a tabloid hailstorm, grab this ice crystal, play this audio.”
Earl Woods’ voice continues:
“I want to find out what your thinking was.”
How long can Tiger maintain that look into the camera? How many takes did it take? It is like he is having a stare fight with the camera — a stare fight he clearly is losing because he is prominently blinking. The shot is stationary — you can still see the Nike swooshes on the hat and on the sweater vest.
I’ve been trying to come up, in my mind, with what the meetings must have been like around Nike leading up to a commercial this bizarre. I have to figure that maybe they were all just in a glass office somewhere throwing around ideas for a commercial:
Hey, how about a whole commercial Tiger doing golf trick shots?
Maybe we have Tiger dressed up like the Terminator and he says, “I told you I’d be back.”
How about something artsy — a hot woman on one side, a family photo on the other, and Tiger being pulled in both directions until, finally, he turns his back on the woman and goes to the photo.
What if we just have Tiger say, “I’m trying to be a better man,” and then show him hit a drive into the distance.
Groans. Head shakes. Anger. And then, finally, suddenly, somebody said: “I got it. What if we have Tiger stare at the camera while a crackling recording of his father talks?” And, then, there was a noticeable pause, a silence, and somebody else said, “Hey, I think you might have something here.” And everybody agreed.
Earl Woods voice continues:
“I want to find out what your feelings are.”
Now, the camera pans closer. Symbolism? Are we supposed to be getting closer Tiger’s feelings? Hard to say. The Nike swoosh on the sweater vest drops off the screen. Tiger’s look remains unchanged. Maybe it’s not a look of remorse. Maybe it’s defiance. Maybe it’s a look that says: “You will never, ever know.”
Earl Woods’ voice finishes:
“And … did you learn anything.”
Did you learn anything? Who is he talking about? Tiger? Us? Hard to say. The camera now pans even closer to Tiger’s face. There’s a flash of light — is that supposed to be a camera flashbulb. The camera pans ever closer. Another flash. Is it a camera flash? Or maybe that’s the film breaking. Is this even film? Then one of the oddest commercial ends when the screen goes black — and a white Nike swoosh glows in the middle of the screen.
It seems now that Nike is backing off this commercial — or, anyway, they only plan to run it for one more day. Apparently, they have a couple of knee-slapping commercials they will be showing during the Masters. But this one has made its impact. The question is: What is the impact? What is the point? Is it simply to say that Tiger is back? That he’s changed? That he hears voices now? Is it, as some have suggested, just an effort to get attention? And if so: What, Tiger wasn’t getting attention before? Is the point that if everyone else is going to cash in on his deal, well, Tiger and Nike might as well get some of their own?
It really does seem sometimes that we live in a time when irony is dead. I sometimes play this game with friends: Think about the single most insane reality TV show premise you can imagine (where nobody dies in the end). OK. You have it in your mind? The weirdest reality TV show you can think of?
Now tell me: Is your show significantly dumber than a show about Bret Michaels, lead singer of Poison, inviting 20 women to his mansion to “compete for his heart.” Is your show significantly more insulting than “The Littlest Groom,” a show about a 4-foot-5 man searching for love and finding (much to his surprise!) that some of the women are tall. Is your show weirder than than sending five Amish people to live in the city. These are actual shows. Our most curious and freaky thoughts are real.
And so, you ask yourself: How could this Tiger saga get weirder? And the answer is Tiger and Nike trying to capitalize on the situation — capitalize in several senses of the word — by bringing back the ghostly voice of Earl Woods.
I think it’s a big mistake. I think it’s a big mistake because, well, it seems to me there are two general views out there of Tiger Woods. There are people who are gravely disappointed in Tiger Woods and will never view him the same way — I think the slickness and undercurrent-of-weird in this commercial will only make them feel more strongly that way.
And then there are the people — and I would count myself in this group — who mostly don’t care. I mean, the story has been hard to ignore, and, yes, sometimes entertaining in that voyeuristic way. But from a moral standpoint, my feeling is: hey, he’s a golfer, for crying out loud, not my spiritual guide. If he wants to live his life like an idiot, hey, that’s his business. If he wants to change and be a better guy, hey, I’m happy for him but really that’s his business too. It’s his life. He’s a golfer. I have my own kids to worry about.
But this commercial is so in your face that suddenly I can’t feel that way. With this commercial, Tiger and Nike are DEMANDING that I take a side. Look, he’s now hearing his father’s voice. Look, he’s a changed man. Look, his father just wants to know what he was thinking. What do you think about that?
There’s a great scene in the Woody Allen movie “Crimes and Misdemeanors.” In the movie, Martin Landau is trying to decide what to do about this rather unstable woman he had an affair with. The woman, played shriekingly by Anjelica Houston, is threatening to tell his wife, ruin his perfect family life, destroy his pillar-in-the-community status. So, Landau is trying to come up with an answer, and the answer that keeps making the most sense to him is to have Anjelica Houston killed.
One stormy night, Landau has an imaginary conversation with a rabbi about whether or not to go through with the murder. The thing that is so chilling about the conversation is that the rabbi (because he’s only a figment of Landau’s imagination) is calm. He does not shout, “You can’t kill someone, are you crazy!” He does not threaten to go to the police. He just calmly says that it is wrong, that murder is wrong, but his voice is calm, so tranquil, that his words lose their meaning and you can feel Landau becoming more and more emboldened as the conversation goes on. In the end, he decides to have her killed.
And, finally, that was my reaction to this sad commercial. Forget all the other stuff for a moment — the strangeness of it, the muddled message, the odd look on Tiger’s face. Tiger Woods created a world-wide circus with his out-of-control life. No matter how you may feel about the right and wrong, he created enough of a scandal that he walked away from golf, went into rehab, lost sponsors, and came back talking about all the horrible things he did. Would Earl Woods’ response to all that REALLY be to, in that detached voice, say that he just wants to be inquisitive to promote discussion? Would he really just want to know what Tiger was thinking?
Or is this just a slick Nike-sponsored rationalization using a dead voice and a swoosh?
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I thought this was shameless.
circle me did I really just stumble upon a chance to be first comment?
My reality show would be Tiger Woods, Brett Favre, A-Rod and Tom Brady’s love life would all go live on an island. Then all of us sports fans would get to drive speedboats out to this island and shoot t-shirt cannons full of fish guts at them. Then we all go watch sports, read about sports and watch shows that are about sports instead of US Weekly crap.
But we should all get to keep the speedboats as our parting gift.
No, circle you use your F5 key.
No, this is a slick Nike-sponsored rationalization to get you to spend 1,650 words talking about Nike.
[...] http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2010/04/08/the-tiger-commercial/#more-3273 [...]
If standing by Tiger as their spokesman didn’t already have me questioning whether or not I’d ever buy another pair of Nikes, this commercial just removed any doubts. The swoosh is dead to me.
Joe, for a guy who doesn’t care about Tiger Woods, you sure seem to write an awful lot about it. How about we just use these comments to talk about Opening Day?
Because if you want to talk about weird… I went to the Rangers opener and a guy ran onto the field, which isn’t weird in and of itself, just irritating. He made it all the way to the pitcher’s mound before getting tackled. But what struck me as odd was that the guy was wearing a Nashville Predators t-shirt.
Now, I wasn’t aware that there were Predators fans outside of Tennessee, much less deep in the heart of Texas. And this started a discussion amongst my friends of whether this guy was the first person to ever attend a game in the Ballpark at Arlington sporting Predators merchandise. I’m pretty sure he was.
I’ve given this issue more thought this week than Tiger Woods.
I watched it before I read anything. I did not see what indication the commercial gave that it was Earl Woods. I guess we’re just supposed to know. I didn’t, so I had no idea what the point was at first.
The more I think about it, though, the more I think that it’s pretty awful. In a sense, there is a “learn from it and move on” element to this, but there is a lot bigger consequence to what he’s done than whatever it is that his dad was talking about in the recording (which was probably golf). He’s damaged his family forever, and his business as well.
The point, of course, is that it’s in Nike’s best interests for us to take a “learn from it and move on” stance and continue to support Tiger, so they cast it in this light. To try to force this on us with a dead father is not in good taste.
I’d like to think that they cut together a bunch of different things Earl Woods said, like South Park did with Isaac Hayes when they killed Chef. The commercial should have ended with Earl inviting us to suck on his chocolate salty balls.
The commercial definitely caught my eye. That makes it better than 90% of the commercials on TV. It really could not have less to do with shoes. But I love any ad that has an avant-garde sense to it, something that sticks with you after its aired, especially if it’s ambiguous what they’re trying to sell. It comes at a time when Gillette is removing Tiger from their Fusion commercials despite having him as the ‘featured’ athlete in the past. Seeing him in an ad again is almost shocking. I honestly am glad this commercial exists.
Stephen @9. I also watched it first. I didn’t know it was Earl Woods talking. Maybe I should have known? They should have cleared up any confusion by ending the commercial with, “Tiger. I am your father.”
I have to admit I understand the sentiment behind the video and Earl’s recorded words.
I failed my marriage as completely as Tiger did; as much as I hurt my wife, my children and my family, it was the thought of disappointing my grandfather that struck me hardest.
Now, my grandfather was still living when my failures became public, but since his passing 18 months ago, I can imagine his counsel in much the same way as we hear Mr. Woods’ voice in the commercial. It’s not angry, not accusatory, not spiteful, but instead the calm, quiet voice that just wants me to learn from the mistakes I made, guided by my grandfather’s love, compassion…and ultimate forgiveness.
Now, do I agree it should’ve been made into a commercial? Oh, heck no. But, I do understand that this may be how Tiger imagines his father’s counsel as he tries to reclaim himself.
The funny thing is that as a cheater himself, I am pretty sure that Earl Woods would have had a pretty good idea of what was going on in Woods’ mind. The commercial indicates that Woods is willing to profit off this situation. His ability to not empathize is probably why he is one of the greatest golfers ever.
My reality show was kind of a complex psychological experiment where you put the quarterbacks from the XFL in varying degrees of isolation (in biospheres…on the bottom of the ocean!) for six months, and then in season two they get to compete for the right to be America’s Next Top Model, as judged by Andy Dick and Joe Mauer. The third season…
well, I could just keep going with this. It’s like a Rube Goldberg machine of psychological torment. You know it’d be a big hit.
If you don’t care, stop writing about it. This is business of marketing…who cares? Do you people still watch commercials? Doesn’t everybody TIVO or DVR their TV viewing and fast forward through commercials? You should. This is really irrelevant or should be. Who cares? This is what I know….I haven’t watched a minute of golf all year, but I’ll be watching this weekend, and for one reason only. And I’ll bet there are millions like me.
I think Bellwether Johnson @5 covered this thread pretty well …
If you’re trying to find deep meaning or keen insight into a person’s life from a freaking commercial, you should probably step out from behind the laptop a bit more often.
See that over there? Yes, it’s a window … and there’s a real world out there somewhere.
Hey don’t look now but Tom Watson is leading the Masters!
I guess the big thing that still bothers me is where they got this audio of his father. What is it from? AND WHY!?
When you scrape away all the layers of bullshit, the message that comes thru loud and clear is: Don’t Get Caught…
@20: No, the message is: don’t do it in the first place.
“Would he (Earl) really just want to know what Tiger was thinking?”
Oh, he would know what Tiger was thinking; namely, “I’m going to get me some of that, and no one will know”.
Like most people who do dishonest things, he knew it was wrong, thought he could get away with it, and lacked the moral fiber to stop himself. I think it’s that simple.
This post is exactly what Nike wanted out of their commercial: for people to talk about it. Even if people hate it. Bad publicity is way, way better than no publicity.
And how ironic, that Nike is urging the viewer to move past the whole incident, and yet, the commercial itself keeps us chained to it because of its content.
In an ad way, this spot would be considered “genius” even if it seems to be in bad taste or poorly done overall.
> DanO: I thought this was shameless.
And shameful.
Joe,
Will you stop with the Tiger Woods? Please ….?????
You’re the best baseball writer around. Stay with the national pastime. Golf isn’t even a real sport – and the Tiger stuff is even real golf!!
Bellwether & Daddyboy –
Stop with the word counts and the pious declarations that JoePo should quit wasting your time and look out a window or write about something important like opening day…(opening day? you seriously need another opening day column? you can’t read last year’s and call it good?)
Here’s what I have no time for: People who bitch about how they just spent three minutes reading something…If you’re halfway through it or two paragraphs into it and it bores you…..move on.
Cause when you take the time to bitch about what you’ve just read, you’ve just wasted more of your time — and mine.
And I can’t have that. I’ve got windows to look out and opening day columns to not read.
I’m disappointed in Earl Woods’ ghost for using “you’re” instead of “your”.
I thought the Nike ad was disingenuous at best, remarkably tasteless at worst. The only possible explanation is they were striving for some deep, moral searching, introspective moment: Tiger remembering instruction from his father, Tiger thinking about how badly he let Earl down, and Tiger contemplating how to make things right again. That’s what the look from Tiger is: a focus on how to fix his life.
And yet, how could Nike possibly expect to pull off such an ad, when they know full well that Earl was a philanderer throughout Tiger’s formative years? They darn well should have known they couldn’t sneak this ad past 90% of the viewing public.
Joe,
If you’re that indifferent towards Tiger, than you’re not who they are trying to reach.
This commercial is the first step towards re-connecting with people who might spend money on Nike Golf products. Doesn’t sound like you are that guy.
Nike. Just “don’t” do it.
@bigboid
If you are a parent you know there is a certain “do as I say not as I do” aspect to the endeavor . Just because you messed up doesn’t mean your kid is allowed to make the same mistake. Earl’s sexual history doesn’t mean he can’t sill be a voice of reason.
This commercial struck me as a brief lecture from a the only person capable of putting Tiger in line. Kind of a: “You screwed up, son. Now did you learn anything? Are you going to improve as a human being and not repeat the mistakes?”
Tiger looks constipated.
…much like the father of Superman, left behind ice crystal lessons to fit any situation. “If you find yourself having cheated repeatedly on your wife and in the midst of a tabloid hailstorm, grab this ice crystal, play this audio.”
Classic!!!
Oh, and btw, Epic FAIL Nike! Like everyone wasn’t going to be talking about Tiger all this weekend anyway? You go and roll out a commercial that, as I see it, just is trying much too hard to be more than what a commercial is supposed to do – sell a product.
Did that remind anyone else of the 6th Sense? It looks like Tiger starts of petulant, but just ends up bored by the end.
Nike hasn’t been trying to sell gear based in value for years. They’re selling an image, just like Apple. They need people to be aware of the image, and the ad is successful there. If nothing else it gets across the idea that Nike is different.
Of course, it’s just an image. They don’t want to start a meaningful discussion or produce art. They want to sell shoes. And balls.
Even if this IS how Earl Woods would act; even if it’s what he would say, and the way he would say it – wouldn’t he say it in private to his son?
Why do we need to see this?
Besides which, Tiger had to sign off on it. Maybe he somehow thinks that this will get us thinking differently and more kindly of him. It makes me think that he willingly participated in the cheapening and exploitation of his dead father’s memory to make a buck and sell some merchandise. And this is a man whom we know Tiger loves and admires!
Maybe Earl’s disembodied voice really wants to ask Tiger why he would make the commercial itself.
[...] Joe Posnanski, while writing about that bizarre new Tiger Woods/Nike commercial: I sometimes play this game with friends: Think about the single most insane reality TV show premise you can imagine (where nobody dies in the end). OK. You have it in your mind? The weirdest reality TV show you can think of? [...]
It’s a very powerful commercial. Has Nike, or any company for that matter, ever done anything like this? By this, I mean offering forgiveness to a spokesman while still not hiding from the fact that transgressions had been made. Not that I can recall.
That being said, I think I liked it more before I read that the voice was Earl Woods. Still though, it’s a good, effective commerical if you ask me.
The commercial pretty much confirmed my feelings towards Tiger Woods:
He’s not a changed person. He’s still the person that will do/say anything to push a product. I think it’s also clear what is truly important to him, golf, $, his family…we’re seeing which will win out.
I think it’s unfortunate what he did, but it’s not unheard of. People make mistakes all the time that hurt those that they care about. The difference is that I think most of us (not all) don’t try to profit from the mistakes. Tiger is clearly attempting that.
So what, Tiger is showing us his “human” side as opposed to the robot side of him, so now we’re supposed to buy the Nike swoosh and support all things Tiger? I just think it’s shameless.
If anything, this ad will discourage me from buying Nike products in the future.
@26
Amen
Props to DJ @ 13 for his candid comment.
Maybe it’s the contrarian in me but I like the spot more every time I see it. The visual is arresting. Every time it comes on I can’t not watch it.
People complain constantly that nobody tries to do anything different or interesting on TV, only to then reflexively rip anyone who actually does try. As a 30 second film about Tiger’s life in April, 2010 I think the spot works more than it doesn’t work, and they certainly have people talking about it.
Tiger Woods has revealed himself to be a whack job. He’s probably one of the people who didn’t vote for Michael Jordan as one of the ten best players in NBA history.
Are we supposed to feel sorry for him because he got f***ing trashy whores now? I simply don’t get the commercials — I think everyone realizes he only cares about himself so how does this help anything. I can’t wait for the sh*tstrom that will come out if they ever link him to steroid use, now that will be entertaining!
The son and parent in me understands and somewhat likes this commercial.
Even though it may not be what he’d say if he were living, I like the words Nike’s ad agency placed into Ghost Earl’s mouth. As a son, it is what I would want my dad to say to me (instead of “What the $*&@# did you do?”). And it is what I would hope to say to my own child when they do something colossally stupid and selfish. Find out why he did what he did, what he’s feeling, and what (if anything) was learned from it.
To me, the spot is Tiger/Nike/Ghost Earl saying “Oh yeah, Tiger made a big ugly mess – no one is denying that”. But it is also saying that if Ghost Earl can look at the situation without judgment, condemnation, or hatred, shouldn’t we do the same?
Now, the cynic in me sees a great many things to dislike, starting with the image of Tiger. Seriously, dude – I get that you have your “game face”, but in the ad that is supposed to make me forgive, forget, and get out my Visa, could you show SOMETHING resembling emotion? Be like the guy in the old littering PSA and have a single tear run down your face, anything.
How would I (or the vast majority of casual golf fans) know that is Ghost Earl talking? And what kind of guy allows his dead dad’s voice to be used on a commercial? Oh yeah, somebody whose image is in the crapper and needs all the help he can get.
My biggest problem with the ad is the contradictory nature of it. All the things that Ghost Earl wants – to be inquisitive, to promote discussion, to find out what Tiger’s thinking was, to find out what Tiger’s feelings are, and if Tiger learned anything – are all either unanswered or have been answered in such a vague and/or scripted manner that no one can really say that they know any more about Tiger the person than they did 6 months ago.
If Tiger wants my forgiveness so that I might cheer for him or purchase products he endorses, then he should ask for it. But bastardizing his dead father’s words to rebuild his image is pretty sleazy – even for a guy who did the things that he allegedly did.
Eh, it’s just a commercial. I’ve seen worse.
I found it haunting, but raises Qs tiger won’t answer. Without answers, it’s simply calculated and shameless.
Disgusting. On every level.
My only qualm with your post is the suggestion he wasn’t “in our face” before.
When his holier than thou “be Tiger Woods” campaign was on 24-7 I couldn’t avoid it. Selling corporate lies, $200 sneakers and $5000 sets of clubs. Like this country and our kids need any of it.
He has been exposed and admitted to being a complete fraud, absolutely opposite of his corporate created image – doing things because he could get away with it and now, before his marriage has even healed and not even done a round of golf he’s back at being the corporate hack. Back at the lying.
Nothing has changed.
Do us all a favor Tiger. Just play golf.
Who cares. Did you see the shot he did at the ninth today…very nice. So the dude sleeps with hookers and tarts, who cares. The only people he is answerable to are his kids and his wife. I just like watching him play golf. The ad is kind of boring. I don’t buy Nike gear for image, I buy it if it suits the purpose for which I need it, whether it be running shorts, golf shoes or my kid’s soccer boots. I buy any brand that I think represents good value for which I intend to use it.
Tigger is a man who will do his best to look you right in the eye, for a commercial.
This is shameless manure. And its on nike. Thats the secondary storm for tigger in all this , the reality that alot of people line their pockets with tigger woods. they literally count on him for their livelihood.
And the sonofagun is coming through. I cant believe what a round of golf he scored under that pressure. Doesnt it have to get easier for him?
Winning solves everything.
And # 43: I enjoy the best NBA of all time survey. A couple people brought up that 3% didnt vote for Jordan.
But what surprises me is 8% of the people didnt vote for Wilt Chamberlain. And 15% didnt vote for Kareem. 15% !! How an you not vote for Kareem?
It also surprises me that a player can crack the top ten with 43% of the vote.
And Dr. J is being royally screwed here.
What!? Tiger is not your spiritual guide? You’re going straight to hell.
I also wish that Joe would write more about baseball and way way less about Tiger, but I’ve always said that I would read a Posnanski essay about landfills, so I’m not complaining and I’m not going to get irritated if he occasionally does write about landfills.
Secondly, I have a hunch that SI and the general sportswriting environment puts pressure on all writers to cover subjects like this. If ESPN has a bunch of hacks covering it, then SI has to cover it too. If a gazillion other writers are going to cover it, then if you are a prominent writer, you better cover it too.
We all know that we aren’t going to quit visiting this blog because of a few uninteresting posts every few weeks. He’s not going to lose any of his regular readers, and he has a chance at picking up more. Thats just the way it works.
Thoughts on the comments above:
1. This is Mr. Posnanski’s blog. He can write about whatever he wants to write about. He’s never been JUST a baseball writer.
2. Tiger has been Nike’s cash cow. Heck, I bought all his clubs…and shoes…and golf balls. They are trying to save the cow. Good for them.
3. Don’t care about what Tiger did. Not my problem. Just want to see him play golf.
4. Those trashing Nike and Tiger should stop moralizing. It’s not becoming. I don’t respect his actions. I just like to watch him play golf.
5. For Nike to make their first Tiger commercial after what happened be a normal commercial would have been more disrespectful than this one was. They couldn’t do that and didn’t.
None of it matters. We set up golden calves and then are surprised when the melt under the heat. Stop setting up sports players as walking gods and you won’t feel so defensive. Just enjoy the entertainment their skill level gives you.
Reality show: “Torture.” That weeds ‘em out right quick.
My idea for a reality show is quite simple: “Carnies”. That’s right, “Carnies”. A camera crew follows around carnival workers as they travel from town to town documenting the lifestyle, the language, and the people from within.
I can’t decide whether that’s as stupid as Bret Michaels, or I Love New York, or the Kardashians, but I’m certain that it IS stupid.
I’ll never be surprised at any marketing from Nike; they’d exploit their own sick grandmothers in a nursing home if they thought it would sell some of their garbage products.
When the news first broke, all I could think was, ‘Who cares?’ I was surprised by the amount of shock people seemed to feel. Sure, I didn’t expect it, but he’s one of the greatest athletes in the world, in good shape, and not too bad on the eyes. Most men would do what he did, although hopefully they be a little more intelligent about it (or just not get married first). It seemed to me that it was mostly the media and non-golf fans that made Tiger’s personal life into the headline breaking saga that it is. As a golf fan, I just wanted him back on the course.
After his press conference at Augusta National (which i refused to watch, but the “highlights” kept scrolling by while i was watching my beloved Braves play opening day ball on ESPN) and this commercial, I can’t help but to be angry when I watch coverage of him at the Masters. I wanted to still be behind him. I wanted to be able to ignore his personal transgressions. I wanted to think that he was at least somewhat remorseful. Let’s face it, if he was really sorry for what he did, he would refuse to exploit his father’s memory like this commercial does. I’m really curious as to what Tida thinks of all this.
A few thoughts:
1) You guys do a lot of bitching and moaning over a free blog.
2) Tiger only bagged one (semi) hot chick for every year he was world famous, I rather admire his restraint.
3) Please don’t feel bad for his Swedish model wife with the perfectly healthy kids and half a billion dollars coming her way. Pity her for her pre-nup maybe.
4) Nike is like that popular kid who will do anything outrageous to stay popular.
5) You didn’t really think that Tiger Woods was that boring did you? Nobody could be as emotionally void as he appeared to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIciUUZnyog
Here is a pretty good summary: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/375733-tiger-woods-commercial-what-can-we-learn
[...] The Tiger Commercial - Joe Posnanski [...]
I still fail to see the big deal here. It’s not a good commercial – people talk about it, sure, but they don’t talk about *Nike* – and it doesn’t make me want to buy anything branded by Nike.
I guess the only thing I take from it is that Nike stands by Tiger enough to put out a new spot with him – as well they should, for that matter. But at no point did I ever find myself even approaching a visceral reaction to this. It’s really nothing worth discussing.
I thought this commercial was damn stupid, but I was also disgusted by the fact that they exploited Earl Woods in this way. Has Tiger no shame?
This is more offensive to me than cheating on his wife. Look, the guy’s world famous, there’s a lot of temptation out there…I don’t like it, I don’t respect it, but I understand.
But I don’t understand exploiting your dead father to help (I guess? It doesn’t seem to me this will help at all) rejuvenate your image. If an ad agency said they wanted to improve my image by using my dead father…well, first I’d ask what the hell they wanted me for *wink*, but I would tell them, uhh no we’re not gonna do that. Certain things are sacred to me, and your dead father should be one of them. Use me, use other athletes or celebrities, whatever…but you’re not using my dead father in a commercial.
As someone else said, shameless and shameful.
The irony of this situation is that Tiger was given a hero’s welcome when he showed up at the course today.
Yet most people I know think the commercial was bad – and for a variety of reasons. So on a day where he was bing VERY warmly received, he has laid a seed for people to at the least say WTF? and at worse to feel anger toward him.
As for NIKE standing by Tiger, allow me to point out that NIKE has no other golfer in their stable. They really had no choice from their perspective.
Why in the world, after all he has been through lately, does Tiger even want to do commercials, let along a truly horrible one like this? He’s got more money than he, his kids and their great grandkids will ever spend. And now we know that other that being a great golfer, he is really at best an average person. So Tiger, just stay on the golf course and out of our faces.
For all those late to the party (and since Nike apparently pulled Joe’s link):
http://www.youtube.com/nikegolf
Dear Eldick,
Are your problems that were caused by your bad behavior a personal matter or a public matter? The Nike ad makes me think you want it both ways.
Sincerely,
A golf fan
For a guy (and others) that claims his personal life is none of our business (this may be aimed more at people that claim it’s only about his golf, not “him”), this commercial proves once again that isn’t about only his golf, that they were selling him, his image, his persona, his “goodness” that people should want to be like. This commercial finally admits that it isn’t about golf, it never was. It is about who Tiger (or any spokesman) is, not what they do.
So, the next time someone tries to tell me that it is about the sports (for commercials), I’ll remind them of this ad, and ask them to think about whether or not spokespeople are selling the what, or the who…..It 100% does matter who the spokesperson is as a person, not that they are good at their job. It is 100% about trying to be like that person. It is about role models, and that’s what this ad says.
I skipped a few comments, so some people might have covered this:
To those of you saying it’s Joe’s blog and he can write about what he wants to write about: I agree completely. That said, Joe, don’t give us a line like “And then there are the people — and I would count myself in this group — who mostly don’t care”
This is, what, your 4th or 5th blog post about Tiger since this situation started? Obviously you care.
Me, I really don’t care. Never really have. Golf’s just not really my thing – maybe as I get older and have to give up playing baseball (well, softball now) and basketball and football, I’ll start to pick it up and get more interested, but I just find it peculiarly boring. I follow the PGA tour in the abstract (mostly through Sportscenter), and have been rooting against Tiger since about 1999, and could never really understand what people liked about him. He struck me as the individual form of the Yankees – arrogant, bred for success, boring and overly polished. Nothing that has happened since November has made me feel much different about him, except that now I feel like he’s a lot dumber than I originally thought.
I haven’t read a single word that’s been written about him by anyone but Joe Pos and Simmons, and that’s only b/c I read everything they write. I wish people would just stop writing about his personal life – he’s not interesting, and he thrives on your attention. When he starts winning tournaments again (and I have no doubt he will – this whole incident was his Yankees 2008 season), then write about his golf game. But otherwise, can’t we all just agree to ignore this clown?
Well, I had not seen the commerical — I’d rather spend my time reading your blog than watching live commereicals on TV
and your webpage is no longer working…Nike blocked it…not sure what that says about their thoughts?
Anyway, went to the web and saw many interesting knock offs…this was my favorite…based on the Lion King
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToVuztpM1HQ&feature=player_embedded#
[...] The Tiger Commercial - Joe Posnanski [...]
Each new reality show just brings us one step closer to The Running Man.
I am guessing Jesse Ventura would be available.
Agree entirely with #68.
I don’t have any moral objections to Tiger, it’s just that I don’t think he is particularly interesting. This whole scandal can be boiled down to this headline: “Rich Pro Golfer Had Sex With Many Women”.
Stop the presses. I simply do not care. This story is not interesting, and neither is Tiger. He’s just really good at golf and is a conduit for selling goods.
As for Dr. J getting screwed? The poll is for best NBA player, not best basketball player. Discounting the ABA hurts Dr. J’s case a lot. I couldn’t vote for Dr. J just on his NBA career. And he’s my favorite player ever.
The whole “circle me” thing is ridiculous. And leads me to think, every time I see someone posting it, “this person is a moron.”
[...] — Joe Posnanski, “The Tiger Commercial” [...]
The Earl Woods audio is from:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/tiger-woods-ad-ripped-audio-2004-documentary/story?id=10323878
He was not talking about Tiger at the time, but about:
——-
the original context, Earl was not talking to Woods, but about the golfer’s mother Kultida.
In the documentary, Woods compares the personalities of his two parents. His father, he says, is “steely cold, icy, never gets emotional” and his mother is “more fiery, more of an extrovert.”
The documentary then cuts to Earl Woods, then 72 and already showing the ravages of prostate cancer, talking about Kultida “Tida” Woods, his Thailand-born wife and Tiger’s mother.
Earl’s full quote in the film is: “Authoritarian. Yea, Tida is very authoritative. She is very definitive. ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’ I am more prone to be inquisitive, to promote discussion. I want to find out what you’re thinking was, I want to find out what your feelings are and did you learn anything?”
———-
The commercial is so loathsome I’m almost baffled by it. Tiger is a creep, we all know this now. But is he so callous and shallow as to pull this kind of stunt? There has to be another reason why he did this. Only I can’t think of anything that makes sense.
And check out Colbert’s parody!
http://blogs.golf.com/presstent/2010/04/stephen-colbert-spoofs-new-tiger-woods-nike-ad.html
[...] but it is professional sports vs sponsor related, so I’m adding it in. Joe Posnanski has a very thorough and well done take on the Tiger Woods commercial by Nike. His statement that Nike is DEMANDING we take a side on the [...]
TO echo Aaron B-all Woods cares about is his sponsors and making money. It’s why his “heartfelt apology ” press conference included them. I fault no one in America for making a buck,but Woods’ endorsement of Nike is toxic.
Plus their shoes are too narrow.
As an aside, “South Park” had a very smart and funny take on what complete nonsense sex addiction is. Based on sophisticated studies involving monkeys being given large sums of cash, seems this “disease” to only afflict rich and powerful primates.
@DJ #13 –
Well said. That’s exactly what I thought when I saw it, though without the same personal connection.
Tiger has said that part of the problem was that he didn’t have his father around any more to provide counsel of any kind. He seems to me to be genuinely upset about that.
Those of you who didn’t know that the voice was that of Earl Woods from the very first “Tiger” are obviously not hardcore golf (or Tiger) fans.
Therefore, you are not part of Nike’s target audience.
This commercial would have been so much more palatable (so to speak) if Tiger was munching on Pepperidge Farm cookies the whole time.
Nice post Joe. Click my name to read my take on this commercial.
What happened to just go away – he’s taking time away to rebuild his family, learn about his “addiction” find the real killer whatever- but somewhere this plan demanded a self promoting Nike commercial so family first nah, golf first family 2nd nah – making money first- golf second-family we’ll get to ya. I don’t care what he does just get out of my face- he’s what he’s always been a freaking golfer- a Republican version of an athlete- he doesn’t mean or stand for anything except like most children who have childhood taken away to be trained seals or stars they end up really weird
“I don’t buy Nike gear for image, I buy it if it suits the purpose for which I need it, whether it be running shorts, golf shoes or my kid’s soccer boots. I buy any brand that I think represents good value for which I intend to use it.”
–people who actually work in advertising LOVE innocent guys like this……
Good catch on the original audio to the guy upthread!
Having said that, I think the IMPLIED context for the audio in this ad is what’s key here.
“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?”
Earl is a pretty monotonous speaker, but if you play it a few times and listen carefully to the audio it makes sense.
He’s stressing, verbally, that first “I.” In the ad, it’s meant to function as an implied contrast with the general public–with those who might laugh or condemn, with those whose interest is primarily moralizing or salacious.
“I,” Earl is to be taken as saying, “I want you to understand that the Tiger Story is only NOW just beginning. Now we’re going to have some REAL human interest…”
And, of course, Nike is speaking via Earl.
“We,” Nike is saying, “We now have the most intriguing human story in sports…..and it’s going to continue to make us rich. Oh yes, indeed. You’re gonna love it….”
“Tiger looks constipated.” @32
Tiger always looks constipated.
And he never sounds sincere, or remotely like a reasonably normal human being – just flat affect the whole way. It’s what makes this whole “mea culpa” journey so surreal — everyone trying to discern if he’s sincere in his apologies, when he never seems like he has a normal human emotion, except when he is actually playing golf (when he is either happy or angry).
If anyone hasn’t seen it, here’s the great Tom Humphries writing in the Irish Times:
Humphires loses the forest through the trees. Woods is no one’s slave. Part of life is making money, unless Humphries and his ilk get paid in thank you notes and attaboys, which don’t pay for light bulbs, meat and cell phones. This whole “serving corportatist interests” nonsense is such utter crap.
There’s no bigger story here beyond common sense. Tiger Woods, probably because he was deprived of a normal teenage life to become a great golfer, now likes to party and screw around, and he probably shouldn’t have gotten married. The idea that Tiger Woods was going to be some Great Important Figure like Jackie Robinson is a bad joke,and it was before all this happened. He’s a great golfer, but nothing more. Suspect sometimes writers wish the things they write about mattered more than they really do, and this has become such a case.
I suppose I’m in the minority that did not find the commercial distasteful. I took away the message that Tiger (and Nike) recognize that they cannot change the past.
I think there is purposeful irony in using his father’s voice. I took from his expression a disappointment in himself that he did not learn from the mistakes of the man who had such an influence on him.
But in the end, all they (Tiger and Nike) can to try and make the best of the situation. It suggests that Tiger will learn from his own mistakes and allows Nike convey its core message, continuous improve. Nobody is perfect. Don’t dwell on the past. Just keep trying to be better.
[...] what the heck this new Nike Tiger Woods commercial means. I’ve watched it a few times, read Joe Posnanski’s analysis (he doesn’t have a clue, either), and asked some people I know what it’s [...]
Nike’s core message is, and always has been “Buy sportswear”. The non-core message is presently “If people talk about our ads as if some pertinent point was being made, beyond ‘buy sportswear’, they might buy more sportswear.”
Of course, I’m wearing Nike Running shoes when posting this, so I’m not claiming any moral high ground here.
After everything, it’s just incredible that perhaps the most enduring image of this year’s Masters is of a husband and wife, who have faced serious challenges this year, in a long embrace just behind the 18th green.
If it was Hollywood, you’d say it was too pat to be believed.
They should have had Earl saying I told you marriage is no big deal.
I’ve enjoyed this tasteless ad, only for all the fantastic parodies it has spawned.
The most insane decision about that ad was using a complete voiceover in the first place (made exponentially more insane by using some odd ghost of Earl Woods ramble). In the YouTube age, how could the ad agency not realize that there would IMMEDIATELY be dozens of parodies out? They made it waaaay too easy. Yet another incredibly bizarre decision in this “how not to address a PR scandal” case study.
The interviews with Woods and Westwood could not have taught my 12 year old more about life, and being a well-rounded person. Woods cares about 1 thing, Westwood cares about many things. Woods can only be happy when he wins, Westwood can be happy when he plays well.
My son has always questioned Woods’ happiness being so tied to winning. Those two interviews were another opportunity for a teaching moment about defining “winning” and what leads to happiness in life.
From the day of the car accident Tiger and his handlers have been destroyed for supposedly handling the pr of this whole story so poorly.
Yet Tiger was the most popular player at Augusta last week.
Was the pr really handled all that badly?
Appreciate the work you do, Joe. Enjoyed the Tiger coverage.
I thought the commercial was effective. It made Tiger look self-aware, which he may never be. And it got us to believe he may be sympathetic, which is may not be. And, of course, it got us talking, and that was the point.
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And I see football computer games more enjoyable. I look forward to future post.
Thanks guys!
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