So dear ol’ Tiger Woods life is in the rough at the moment.
Look the guy is an idiot and I would never condone what he’s done – but I must admit I find the response from the media, public and corporate sponsors almost as baffling.
The reality is good men sometimes do bad things … and you know what, good women sometimes do bad things as well … and whilst I admit he was rather prolific in his extra-marital activities, he’s not killed anyone, he experienced unprecedented levels of female attention [that’s not an excuse – and he should have ensured he was never in environments/positions that allowed anything to happen – it’s just a situation he found himself in] and he comes from a society that already has a 50% divorce rate.
Now this might sound weird, but I have a feeling his actions were less motivated by sex than escape.
OK … OK … sex probably had something to do with it, especially given all the women were of a certain ‘type’ [which is the bit that disappointed me the most because I thought he had more taste than that] … however because this guy has had almost every aspect of his life closely controlled and planned from a young age, I can’t help but feel the element of ‘danger, recklessness and selfishness’ made it almost as attractive and addictive as the act itself.
Maybe I should ask Freud.
The other thing that pisses me off is the reaction of some of the brands that have supported him.
I would love to know how many board members of the brands that have spent shitloads of cash on hum have had affairs or been divorced.
Yes I know they are not being paid huge sums to publically represent ‘honesty, integrity and performance’, but if they got caught shagging behind their partners back … or fiddling expenses … or selling products and services that people can’t afford/want … I bet they wouldn’t be dropped by their company in the time it takes to pull their trousers up.
And that’s another thing, men and women who have had affairs might be stupid, irresponsible twats but they’re not monsters.
There’s this attitude in society that if you’ve cheated you’re sub-human, but I know some people who are horrible blights on society and their marriage is great.
Good on NIKE for sticking with their guy.
Of course given NIKE have always been a brand that has embraced flawed/maverick geniuses, Tiger’s indiscretions makes him even more appropriate than ever before … but it would have been so easy for them to have dropped him and yet they didn’t and they can only prosper when he comes back and has a point to prove.
I know this sounds like I’m letting Tiger – and people who cheat – off the hook, however whilst I think they are total twats who [in many cases] needlessly let people who love them down … I don’t feel the vilification they receive, especially Tiger, is entirely justified.
But that isn’t the point of this post … oh no, that’s just Campbell ranting … it’s that in every crisis, there’s opportunity and personally I am quite disappointed that Tag Heuer didn’t seize the initiative and use Mr Woods high exposure to feather their own nest.
Pepsi would have. 🙂
