Deeply Sorry: Tigers Shot at Getting out of the Rough - Assignment Example

Topic: Deeply sorry: Tiger’s shot at getting out of the rough Introduction Tiger Woods, the leading celebrity star of the game of golf, has been passing through a turbulent time because of coming into news his reported extra-marital affairs. The shocking news has created waves in the still waters of his reputation as a man of integrity. His family life has got ruined as per media reports. He has to undergo therapy. Being a brand ambassador of world leading companies, support is being withdrawn by many of them due to the image loss he has underwent. There are different opinions in the media on the issue that Tiger Woods should or should not be forgiven. 1. Do you agree with Matthew Lynn that Tiger Woods’s sponsors should ‘forgive and forget’? Why or why not? Matthew Lynn has commented that Tiger Woods sponsors should forgive and forget. It seems difficult to make a straightway declaration that Tiger Woods should be forgiven and his sponsors should forget the scandal of marital infidelity in which he was embroiled. Big corporations like AT &T Inc. and Accenture Plc have taken back their products’ ambassadorship, as they assume that the man -- Tiger Woods – is no more a man of clean, family-man image. One feels like going with the statement of Lynn that like other celebrities like Kate Moss and Rolling Stone, Tiger Woods will return back to the limelight, celebrities are associated. Brand ambassadors are men and women of human follies; they are not super humans who cannot commit wrongs. What needs to be valued in a celebrity is the power to take the audiences along with what they are renowned in doing perfect. A sports celebrity like Tiger woods should be valued for the perfection in the profession he or she practices, not what is happening in his personal life or for that matter in the personal lives of such celebrities. What is important to understand is that public life and personal life are two facets of a celebrity. What happens in a celebrity’s personal life can affect the celebrity’s professional performance. Everybody desires a neat and clean and peaceful family life. If Tiger Woods has not been up to those standards, it is a personal affair of his. Too much hype is given to the issue because of too much interference in the personal life of Woods by the media for selling its own business. Sponsors like media also share the common purpose of promoting their business. That’s why they engage high profile celebrities because of their success in professional spheres. To err is human and it is just humane to commit errors, which Woods has committed by being unfaithful husband and presenting a wrong ideal to his fans and admirers. His supporter rating should go down. For the sake of reason, we can say that infidelity is in the nature of some men and women and further, Tiger Wood is not a political or religious leader; he is just a sports person of highest ranking in golf. Leaders should not be forgiven and forgotten because it is their ethical duty to set an example for the masses to follow and cherish. Tiger Woods is not a missionary head that so many storms should be created over his personal affairs for which he is answerable only to his wife, children, and family. Business decisions need to taken wisely because Tiger Woods is not a sinking ship or twinkling star; he will prove his mettle as earlier, in the golf courses and that is his identity for which he is recognized the world over. It is the time that will decide whether he remains high in the eyes of his admirers or not! Big corporations canceling their product promotion contracts with Tiger Woods are trying to project their image, perhaps, to present and forward their image of corporate social responsibility, the latest formula to be socially active to pursue a cause but in the matter of Woods, it is not so. Not all popular brands and corporations have denounced Woods from ambassadorship. There are companies like Nike Inc. and Upper Deck Co. that are proving support by not canceling their contracts. It does not mean that whatever wrongs Tiger has committed, we as masses are supporting him. No way! But there is always a balanced way and approach that should be followed by not going to the extremes (http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-04/tiger-woods-s-sponsors-should-forgive-and-forget-matthew-lynn.html). 2. Discuss Tiger Woods’s public apology on February 19, 2010 from a public relations perspective. What was notable about the way Woods made his presentation? Do you think it will be effective in restoring the Woods ‘brand’? Give reasons for your answer. People are doubtful over the honesty Tiger Woods showed while making a public apology on February 19, 2010. Listening and viewing the contents of the apology gives the feeling that a great man wants to repent his sins by washing his dirty linen in the public. But it was out of compulsion that he had to cal a press conference inviting only a selected group of reporters without granting them the right to question him on a number of counts. But seeing the whole exercise from a public relations perspective, it was a brilliant and masterpiece echo of the man to mend his image that has got tarnished over the sex scandals he has been involved (US Magazine 2010). The notable feature of his PR initiative is the sense of feeling the guilt that he has cheated not only his family but his lots of fans the world over and sense of loss for not adhering to the moral values and principles which he had learnt long time back; he was associated with welfare and philanthropist causes of the children. Making the appearance that has been tarnished and remaining associated with charitable causes would have been showing dual personality. Tiger Woods has been an ideal hero of the young people who take great inspiration from his focus on the game and aiming for the highest in life and getting it (US Magazine 2010). Starting his apology with saying to wife Elin “I Am Deeply Sorry,” he seemed to be alone. His public apology over his extra-marital affairs started by showing concerns of the people – how a man of his stature got involved in such low behavior, putting at stake his relationship with his family and kids and honor of the brand name that Tiger Woods stand for. Taking his personal life out of the sphere of discussion, he stated, “What we say to each other will remain between the two of us,” as over time he will prove his faithfulness through his behavior (US Magazine 2010). He was at his best by taking his friends and fans all along in making them believe that Tiger Woods is deeply repenting for the embarrassment they had to pass through for his degrading actions and activities. As he said, “I have let you down. I have let down my fans. For many of you, especially my friends, my behavior has been a personal disappointment ... I am embarrassed to have put you in this position. For all that I have done, I am so sorry.” He laid importance to the fact that his relations with his wife Elin have never been on the verge of violently hurting each other. Freeing Elin from all the possible blames, he sincerely showed his acceptance of the guilt by proclaiming, “I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. I am the only person to blame. I stopped living by the core values I was taught to believe in” (US Magazine 2010). His continuous stress on accepting all his misdemeanors and telling that he has been under therapy for coming out of the dark pit he has been into creates a feeling that the man is feeling sorry from the core of his heart and should be forgiven. The attempt at PR to be welcomed as brand seemed successful (US Magazine 2010). http://www.usmagazine.com/celebritynews/news/watch-tiger-woods-press-conference-live-2010192 3. In terms of the four models of public relations (Grunig and Hunt 1984), how would you characterise the use of celebrity ambassadors in general? With reference to at least TWO (2) examples other than Tiger Woods, discuss the risks and benefits of using celebrity endorsers to promote both business corporations and not-for-profit causes. The four models of public relations are based on combinations of communication direction (one-way vs. two ways) and balance of intended effects (asymmetrical vs. symmetrical), as introduced by Grunig and Hunt in 1984.These are four models of raising funds and all organizations don’t fit in these models by their fund raising practices. The first two models are unbalanced as they are focused in the direction of changing public opinion, not the organization. By employing press agentry means like propaganda or distributing information that safeguard their interests only, organizations work on their public image. All the four models of public relations help the non-profit organizations in convincing the donors to help the organization through information dissemination either from either sides or one way (Domino 2003). Making use of the celebrity ambassadors helps the cause of the organization, as people feel associated with a celebrity. For example those who donate to the cause of Muscular Dystrophy Association feel related to Jery Lewis, the entertainer and those who donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital feel bonded to Actress, Marlo Thomas. Visibility of the organization comes to limelight at once to raise their credibility in fund raising. Press agentry model of propagating the cause seems to be more relevant to generate funds by using celebrity ambassadors in general. The more mass appeal a celebrity has, the more is the people’s allegiance to the charitable cause. Initial research into fund raising efforts proves that when celebrities are associated personally with a social cause, they are more successful as endorsers of the charity (Domino 2003). Risks and Benefits of using celebrity endorsers Life experiences of celebrities provide a marketing message to the audiences of companies and not-for-profit organizations to use certain products with which celebrities are associated any way. The target consumer group feels related with the product because of high appeal of the celebrity endorser, which helps to make the message universal. Messages become authentic and worth believing when celebrities endorse them (Domino 2003). Corporations or not-for-profit organizations engage only such celebrities who are at the peak of their success in the chosen profession. A positive attitude develops in the minds of audiences towards specific brands. People recall the messages of celebrities while taking purchasing and donation decisions. Brand name gets recognized (Domino 2003). Dull and boring topics of charity get prime attention through celebrities, as was Princess Diana of Britain who was associated with and supported nearly 100 hospitals, charities, civic groups, and humanitarian causes by raising $450 million each year. Messages become more trustworthy and believable when celebrities like when Basketball player Magic Johnson speaks about AIDS (Domino 2003). Risks in using celebrity endorsers remain; as such people remain the target of public and press for finding flaws in their characters and exploiting their image for tarnishing. True or false when implicated in such complications like Tiger Woods has been into, there is risk of losing business and credibility of the products and causes. Who would follow Magic Johnson if he himself becomes a victim of AIDS; then of course, it would be a risky proposition to engage him for a social cause. Conclusion Every man has the right to lead a life without outside interference but unfortunately celebrities can’t afford to lead such a life as they remain in the public eye and cannot keep themselves away from paparazzi. They have to pay a price for being celebrities but it need not undermine the importance of a man’s character, his integrity and remaining faithful to his family – his wife and children as in the case of Tiger Wood. A man should stand always for the values he is known for. References: Business Week. 2010. “Tiger Woods’s Sponsors Should Forgive and Forget: Matthew Lynn,” January 5. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-04/tiger-woods-s-sponsors-should-forgive-and-forget-matthew-lynn.html (accessed April 19, 2010). Domino, Tracie M.2003 Toward an integrated communication theory for celebrity endorsement in fund raising, Master level Dissertation. http://etd.fcla.edu/SF/SFE0000149/Celebrity_Fund_Raising.pdf. (accessed April 19, 2010). US Magazine. 2010. Video: Tiger Woods to Wife, Kids: "I Am Deeply Sorry", February 19. http://www.usmagazine.com/celebritynews/news/watch-tiger-woods-press-conference-live-2010192 (accessed April 19, 2010). Read More