Tiger Woods: Still "A Marketer's Wet Dream"

Tiger may not be an ideal husband, but he is an ideal spokesman

By Ted Casablanca, Taryn Ryder Dec 03, 2009 8:45 PMTags
Michael Phleps, Tiger WoodsMike Stobe/Getty Images for EA Sports; Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Tiger Woods may be having a fallout with the public, and probably with his wife, but businesswise, Woods is apparently just friggin' dandy. So much for a professional skank alert, huh?

The only legal penalty Tiger's facing after his transgressions is paying that $164 fine, and his big endorsement deals (like Nike and Gillette) aren't going anywhere, or so we're assured by sports exec insiders.

That crafty Answer B!tch posted a story 'bout how behind the scenes, the companies backing Tiger may not be as peachy about his alleged infidelity as they seem, but at the end of the day, we're told, nobody gives a crap. Tiger's still going to be raking in the dough (for them, too).

But is it fair? Tiger is a public figure and a role model to many. Should he be getting different treatment than, say, Michael Phelps, who was dropped by Kellogg's after bong-gate?

A sports agent (who wishes to remain anonymous since he's still in the biz) weighs in on the real reason Tiger's deals aren't going anywhere...

"There's still no better vehicle [than Tiger] for reaching that affluent, golf-watching, golf-playing audience," dishes our behind-the-scenes know-it-all. "Plus, add in the fact that he's black and Asian, and he's a marketer's wet dream: an educated, articulate person of color in a high-end, refined marketplace."

Still, when another "ideal" spokesman Michael Phelps was caught with a bong, Kellogg's kicked him to the curb faster than he can swim a lap.

"Phelps, he was [accused of] a crime, unlike Tiger," our insider spills. "It was widely reported that Kellogg's ended their relationship with Phelps over the incident, but that wasn't true. It was a PR grab—unlike deals with, say, Nike, cereal deals aren't meant to be long-term. The box art rotates. Do you really want to buy a Phelps cereal box in the dead-quiet years between summer Olympics? No."

Adds another source, a sports media consultant, who also wished to remain mum and who's familiar with conniving athlete-marketing ways:

"Kellogg's took this 'high moral ground' and made statements publicly. You can bet that if Michael somehow works with them again, they'll seriously pay for the privilege."

Endorsement deals are about the cash and publicity, people, less so moral standards.

These companies need Tiger Woods. Having his name attached to their product is a gold mine. Sure, the fact that he's now seen as having cheated isn't ideal, but the pros outweigh the cons here. Woods is a global phenomenon.

Plus, these companies aren't backing Tiger, "the supposed cheater"—they are backing Tiger, "the golf superstar." He will still sell products (maybe not as many, but still a lot), no matter what happens with his personal life. That's just the money-go-'round kinda world we live in.

Think it's right?

___________

Check out the purported homewreckers in the Tiger's Alleged Other Women gallery.