Tiger woods and the big winners

With so much discussion, condemnation, defence swirling around tiger woods, I’ve had my points of view, but just have not found time to put them up.

Today tiger woods is back where he belongs. On the golf course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having been in  the marketing world for a short 3 years, I’ve gained some insight into how marketers think.

And to be honest, just like the rest of the world, and any food chain, the best ones (marketers),at the top of the food chain is a distinct minority.

The food chain of course is often represented as a pyramind, meaning that whilst the top is top, there aren’t many of them.

It looks something like above, so you see, the decomposers, are probably one of the largest groups in the food chain, but we all know what they do, they feed on shit.

See, when tiger woods went public, the only thought in my mind was, “Hey shit, thats going to affect his game.”

I wasn’t thinking “Oh shit, my whole moral structure and basis has been destroyed.” I wasn’t thinking, “Oh accenture, tell me how to win again, or be great. Give me another idol to look up to.”

Far from it. As we all know, whichever faith you come from, we all have one thing in common. We all have within ourselves the ability to tell right from wrong.

Sure, there are many external influences in the world. One being the media and these super personalities we all so love to hate. But lets be frank, if you’ve gone around philandering with a dozen women in spite of having 3 beautiful kids, and a model wife, ITS ON YOU!

When tiger woods is on the course, we don’t go, “Hey kids, don’t be like uncle tiger, don’t cheat on your wives or husbands in the future”, we go “FUCK SON! Look at that swing, you better swing like that from now on! Havn’t I been telling you for the longest time! I tell you I go back and change your coach! He hasnt been teaching you right! And add a morning lesson for you also!”

Whichever way you look at it. ITS ALL about the golf when it comes to tiger.

And thus I have reached my point.

Yes, marketers would like to think or assume they are associating themselves with certain core values when they sign up a star. And yes on the surface it is true. But only in a very superflous manner. So for example, they got a brochure from tiger woods agent, citing reasons like below:

Why you should have tiger endorse your products

1) He is the best player of golf in the world

2) He is a great role model

3) A family figure

4) Associated with values of honesty, sincerety, perseverance, tenacity, etc etc etc.

5) People look up to him

You see over time, marketers and people in general have to justify things. As a boss, I don’t like you to cite me just merely the obvious points when you are giving me something. So they went into a board room and spawned a snazzy powerpoint about how tiger woods  and what he “represents” mixes with the corporate culture and values those people in the boardroom believe.

BULLSHIT!

The reason why they want tiger woods or NEED him, is because HE IS THE BEST FUCKING PLAYER in the world of golf. Yes Phil Mickleson is a great player too, with great values. But all I see so far is the POTENTIAL to be GREAT! He’s good, just not fucking great.When he hits that ball, you have 1 in a 100 expectation of seeing an INCREDIBLE shot. For tiger woods this happens EVERYTIME wheather or not it is the case.

So they forgot all about the famous 80/20 rule. They focused on the 80 percent, what seemed to be the bigger picture. But in doing so, really really lost the bigger picture.

So what happens? HERD INSTINCT happens. Actually it always happens.

Just to take you on another tangent. One related to economics.

Think back to the global financial crisis that happened just a while back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honestly it would take courage to go into a market that just seems to keep spiralling down. Even when it stablises, you’re not sure if any company is safe.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF RISK.

If you had been brave. If you had conquered your fears, instead of shivering at home in the corner. If you had waited for your moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You might have bought OSIM stocks at 8 cents, and made over 10 times in just a year.

Put in 100,000 and you’re a millionaire. Put in a million and you’re a ten millionaire.

Yes, I am over simplifying things. But thats how the cookie crumbles folks!

At 8 cents, I personally bought stocks into osim, which I felt were way way undervalued. I had the benefit of knowing Ron Sim, the founder personally, and felt he was a survivor. If even in the sort to medium run. (Nobody can look too far ahead).

I sold out at 50 cents of course, I did not make gamillions either. Because “money no enough” (This post is for jack neo too).

The point often is, when everybody is excited and into something, most times it is overvalued. I personally feel the market is overvalued at this point. I could be wrong, but I don’t like to trade on endless upside. Its much harder.

When a “shock” occurs though, what happens is ALWAYS an OVER-REACTION.

And thus I end my story. At this point, and even before this. I viewed tiger like OSIM.

And no, ACCENTURE, you clearly do not know what it takes to be a tiger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A TIGER. I am seeing conflicting news about Tag Heuer, and am not sure if they are still supporting him. But COMING OUT LIKE THIS in the HEAT of the scandal. That is MARKETING.

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

THAT IS A VALUE I AS A CONSUMER CAN IDENTIFY WITH. Supporting me when I am down.

And lastly of course. Nike. I love this brand. How many countless marketers have gone for conventions to learn about the best?

They clearly didnt learn that much. The brands that invested in tiger during his downtime, will get the biggest rewards. Because they took a risk, and nobody ever became great without doing that.

Tiger woods, “For what its worth, Ming stands with you too.”

p.s. Not a tiger fan by the way. Just a fan of reason.