Opinion: Tiger Should Get Edgier With His Endorsements

(April 8) -- Going into the Masters, Tiger Woods' attempts to repair his adultery-stained image only served to fuel public skepticism of his sincerity. Now comes an eerie black-and-white Nike TV commercial with a blinking Tiger staring into the camera while the disembodied voice of his late father asks him if he's learned anything. It too is unlikely to change many minds. It may even repel some.

This year being the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Zodiac, it may be appropriate for Tiger to follow the advice of Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu in rebuilding his image and marketing prowess: "Every thousand-mile journey begins with a single step." Playing in the Masters and taking questions at Monday's press conference represent logical first steps in Tiger's journey.

At the end of that journey, however, there could be a surprise, especially if he can't save his marriage: Tiger as a different kind of corporate pitchman, one tied to edgier, more daring products.

His serial adultery has created two image problems for Tiger. One image centers on Tiger the golfer, the world's undisputed top athlete in terms of achievements and earnings. The other image is that of Tiger the "perfect" person -- family man, role model, fundraiser for needy kids. Properly repairing these images requires different approaches and efforts. They may even conflict.

Because Tiger never cheated in his sport and has compiled an amazing and oftentimes spectacular record of winning, he has a very good chance of reclaiming his image as the world's top golfer. Even if he doesn't win the Masters but survives the cut, he'll be well on his way back. And professional golf, which heavily depends on Tiger's charisma to build TV ratings and sponsorship money, will be rooting for him.

This is probably why Tiger's sports-related endorsers -- Nike and Electronic Arts -- have stuck with him throughout the scandal. They care more about his sports image than his off-course tabloid transgressions. Besides the Nike ad, Electronic Arts debuted a new game tied to Tiger's return to golf at the Masters on Tuesday.

Tiger's image as family man will not be as easily recovered as his golf crown, and it was the sponsors -- Gatorade, Accenture and Gillette -- most identified with this side of him that quickly dropped or phased out their association once the extent of his adultery became known.

The golfer's chief obstacle is his newfound image as a tabloid celebrity, which gained fresh momentum in the days before he teed off at the Masters. Vanity Fair featured a photo spread of four of Tiger's reputed mistresses in its latest issue, and The National Inquirer carried a story claiming that he slept with his neighbor's daughter.

In such an environment, it would seem to take a near-miracle for him to persuade his wife to stay married to him, a prerequisite for repairing his family-man image. And Tiger will be up against his own celebrity-hood, which is bound to grow as more people follow his every comeback move on and off the golf course. The paradox is that the more successful on tour he is, the more likely the media will keep tabloid Tiger alive.

All of which may attract a new kind of sponsor to Tiger -- one with an edgier image. Think Red Bull, Axe, Ray-Ban, Calvin Klein, anything Las Vegas, Jeep BMW and Heineken.

Such a sponsor shift would not be unprecedented for an athlete. In 2003, Kobe Byrant admitted to infidelity and faced sexual assault charges that were later dismissed. Sprint and McDonald's ended their sponsorships with him, but they were replaced by Vitaminwater and Sony video games, products that appeal to an edgier, younger demographic. And Kobe is more popular than ever.

If Tiger starts winning again, he's unlikely to be a spokesman for Disney. But he may be better able to deliver a younger, success-focused and less judgmental demographic to new sponsors. Tiger the sports and media star, not the "perfect" man, will be the driver of his marketing machine.

Ira Kalb is a professor of marketing at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California and a marketing consultant.

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