Tale of Two Tigers

Words of the Day

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”  – Charles Dickens in the opening line of Tale of Two Cities.

A Tale of Two Tigers … Woods Apologizes, Takes First Step In Reputation Repair

Finally!  Tiger Woods took the podium on Friday and apologized for his infidelities – and emerged from a three-month public hiatus to admit his wrongdoing, addressing his various audiences about his numerous trysts with women who weren’t his wife.  After more than three months of public hibernation, this Tiger climbed from his cave, stared bleary-eyed into the cameras of the world and awoke from his winter sleep.

Whether or not the mea culpa staged as a non-press conference/press conference – it was just Woods talking with no questions from the media, or anyone else for that matter – was contrite or sincere is to be determined. 

Stay tuned on that front. 

But by stepping up to the mic and using the big stage at the Match Play Championship in Marana, Ariz., Woods is making the tough, necessary first steps on the long road to repairing his multi-national, multi-media, multi-million-dollar reputation.  The public apology to regain shine to brand and image felt sincere and moving at times.  Something in his eyes signaled remorse.  Yet in the same breath, this very public airing of his Nike-emblazoned laundry felt like so many infomercials.  Add Woods to the ShamWows and Snuggies of the late-night TV world.  Come to think of it, Woods could probably use both – a super absorbent mess cleaner and a warm, comfortable cocoon right about now!

Whether or not this was a heartfelt apology will be determined not by talk, but by action, as his wife Elin so eloquently intoned.

Make no mistake, this 13 ½-minute one-way message was staged by million-dollar message managers and image handlers – a choreographed crisis communications strategy perhaps better fitted to next month’s Oscars rather than real life.  Best actor?  Director?  Drama, certainly!

His world-class identity makers and brand builders certainly made sure Woods covered the waterfront.  Fans, check.  Family, check.  Corporate sponsors, check.  Children involved in his youth golf programs who looked at him as a wholesome role model, check.  Anyone else in the public, check.  Woods did this all the while invoking the important messages of recovery.  He talked the talk of the 12-step program.  He admitted he had a problem.  He said family came first.  He even talked religion, crediting his Buddhist upbringing.  

This production should hardly be surprising from a man who has built his career around controlling the message.  However, he came off as he usually does off the course in front of the cameras, the media, and the world.  Stiff and monotone, with short, clipped staccato. 

But it was a made-for-TV moment.  The teasers to this Tiger tale rushed forth faster than a bobsled in Vancouver.  Both of ESPN’s main channels devoted a half-hour preview.  The Golf Channel had fully packaged pre-game and post-game shows to track the drama.  And ABC even offered up George Stephanopoulos, while NBC had Matt Lauer chime-in all the way from the snow-covered Olympics.

In a reality TV world, this was reality TV at its finest!  Too often, it seems, our culture is driven by this dynamic – part entertainment, part reality, part therapy and part banality.  In a lot of ways this is a sad reflection of our society.  But in the end, we all hunger for a sense of closure and real truths, no matter how messy life becomes. 

This Tiger-mercial underlined several tenets of effective PR.  Tell the truth.  Apologize for wrongdoing.  Discuss the strategies you are taking to make amends.  And operate in an atmosphere of clarity.  On these measures, WordSmith is still not fully convinced.  It will take time, more honesty, more sincerity and continued accountability.  But since Woods is taking the necessary steps now, after way too long, his effort and willingness to get better has earned him the Golden Mic. 

But the crisis communications cup is only half full.

And like his wife, Elin, the court of public opinion will be swayed not by well-polished words and Tiger talk, but by actions.  The opening scenes of this reputation repair have been written.   It is yet to be seen if there will be a Hollywood ending.   Like that Dickensian novel so long ago, the final chapter of this Tale of Two Tigers is waiting to be written.  

Golden Mic

Each week, Wordsmith will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t.  Stay tuned … and step-up to the mic!

The WordSmith News Bureau is based at Deane Smith Media Innovations, a full-service PR, marketing and advertising agency.  Got PR?  Need marketing strategy? Ad consulting?  Message Wordsmithing?  Creative & online initiatives? Reach the WordSmith at wordsmith@deanesmithmedia.com