Lately, it seems that Tiger Woods' gal pals are all anyone can write about. That is, of course, unless you live here in the UK, where Joe McElderry's X Factor triumph is receiving almost as much press. Why such focus ? Is there nothing else worth writing about?
Well, yes, of course, there are a few things at least as newsworthy as Tiger and Joe, but not many as likely to compel the public to buy the paper or listen to the newscast. Why are we so fascinated, though, and what could possibly be similar about a young unknown winning a singing contest and the world's best known athlete cavorting with, it seems, a whole lot of people?
The answer is actually pretty simple. Tiger and Joe have both been branded as honest to goodness natural talents. They both have an uncommon capability in something we can understand and even appreciate. Joe McElderry can hit a note high and pure, while Tiger hits a drive high and long; both make you swoon and shake your head in wonder. Tiger is known for his no nonsense athleticism; he put the sport back into golf (though I'm not sure it was ever there before). Joe 's no gimmicks singing triumphed over the antics of the low talent/high appeal Jedward. Both are heroes, and they have our support not just for what they do, but for how we see them doing it. These are honest guys, who play by the rules and win out with hard work and dedication. They are identifiable role models; they prove that hard work and dedication pay off.
Or do they? While Joe is still up on his pedestal, Tiger has suffered a great fall. While I agree that there is a private matter that Mr. Woods needs to address with his family, there is a very viable public matter he needs to address with millions of adoring fans who have supported him, and all those great products he sponsors, with their hearts and their dollars. I have no real interest in how Tiger Woods spends his free time. I don't know that marital fidelity would make him a better golfer, and, from what I can see at this point, infidelity certainly hasn't hurt his game. So, in essence, I don't believe that Tiger's escapades have anything to do with his golf. I do, however, know that Tiger has made a name for himself not only by the way he plays golf, but by the standards he presents as his own. Wasn't it Tiger Woods who drove a Buick because he was their spokesperson? Didn't we see Tiger Woods pay his caddy more than anyone else on the tour because, as he said, it was the right thing to do? Didn't he claim he was as good as he is because he is dedicated to bettering himself. Isn't Tiger Woods' personal brand all about commitment?
Recently, George Michaels, an iconic pop star, was arrested, yet again, for public indecency. It was reported that, when asked what he had to say to his fans, he shared that he liked cruising for casual sex and it was how he lives his life. I don't think I'd like George as a personal friend, but I do love his voice and his songs remind me of my youth. I have to admit that I don't see anything wrong with what he said. He's a pop star. He never purported to be an icon of morality. He never asked us to buy his records because he was loyal to his partner,and he has never held his lifestyle up as a core element of what makes him a good singer. In essence, George Michaels personal brand has never had anything to do with being a moral compass, and so, like it or not, we've got no real qualms with his actions as a singer. I don't think Disney will sign him anytime soon, as his image wouldn't align with their brand, but then, that 's the point, isn't it? Mr. Michaels personal brand is not in conflict with his personal life. If only Tiger could say the same.
Let's take a sports example. My dad called, horrified, when Andre Agassi's book came out. Why, oh why, he lamented, did he need to share that he was a drug addict. Could he not have left it alone? Was it important for him to shatter the illusion of greatness? What of the many players who had fallen to his swift racket? They would now be forever tortured, wondering if they could have beaten him had he not been flying on whatever chemicals were fueling him. I wondered, myself, what drove Agassi, who managed to maintain the image of perfection, to share this information with his public. Then it occurred to me that his was a master stroke. Why risk being toppled from your pedestal when you can manage your brand pro-actively? Andre must have decided that he is best positioned in the driver's seat, and then taken the lead role in re-inventing himself.
Tiger, on the other hand, has worked to perpetuate a myth that is out-of-step with his reality. Had he let us see that he was a great golfer, a great athlete, and a driven man, we would have been amused or even shocked by the long line of ladies who are stepping forward to speak of his prowess off the course. We would not, however, have felt betrayed. Betrayal is the issue here, and with his betrayal Tiger has done more than hurt his family or himself; he has hurt the entire PGA. Tiger's story has all the makings of a modern day fable, and the lesson is one to be heeded by every business and every professional.
Your personal brand is to be tended carefully. Just as product branding ( think Marmite) and employer branding (think Starbucks) rely on a core of truth, so too does your personal brand. Not everyone likes Marmite, but, not everyone likes marmalade either. Thr brillianc eof Marmite's brand is that it centers around a core truth; Marmite is odd tasting stuff. Honesty works! There is many a professional athlete who unabashedly cavorts with no risk to his field or endorsement popularity. These are athletes who are not pretending to be something other than who they are. When a person, or a company, or a product, presents a brand, that brand must be consistent with reality.
