April 10th, 2010 | Bill McIntosh, Founder

Simplicity, power and visually arresting.

No other action has generated such news in the last few days, nor has one video changed the views of someone whose crisis management seemed impossible to fathom. Nike and the advertisement guys pulled a rabbit out their hat, hitting it straight down the fairway of PR legend.

That simple black and white video ad changed the discussion, or at least the thought process of many. Imagine if Tiger’s dad was alive to see the shame of his only son. Would have Tiger delved this deep in human misery if he were here today, alive and well? Or if so, what would have Earl Woods have said or done if he was there to confront and consul his son? Like a voice inside Tiger’s prayers, Earl was there to remind us that Tiger is a man. A man who lost his father and maybe no one to turn to since.

I am sure that Tiger, in his last five months of anguish and embarrassment, has wondered a million times about his father. How he let him down; how he tarnished his legacy. The Nike Ad video was not only a testimony to how powerful the medium has become to change perception, but to also glimpse into the heart of a embattled man in only 30 seconds.

While I do not condone what Tiger did, I celebrate the brilliance of Nike to tackle head on the very issue that has run deep within the mind of Tiger. I also celebrate Tiger to give us a forward look into the camera and face his demons, as well as the spirit of his father.

We will never know for sure what Earl Woods would have done or said to Tiger during his trials and tribulations, all self-induced of course. We can only speculate and ponder.

If you were his father, and that was your only son, what would you have said?

Tags: , , , , , ,