The Anatomy Of A Corporate Divorce, Tag Heuer Edition

So I see Tag Heuer is spending the next few weeks "assessing" its deal with Tiger. My question to the one of thousands of corporate crisis counselors out there: is this first step designed to soften the blow when the inevitable Tag-Tiger divorce happens, or is it to generate two publicity cycles instead of just one in the clean break scenario?

Comments

[Jack]

What a press release fiasco. Can we trust Tag Heuer with the time? Meanwhile, AT&T is distracted with iPhone.

[The O]

My Tag keeps perfect time, and it has a feature will it tell me what time my wife is coming home.

I think Tag is doing the "We're thinking about it" thing until he wins Bay Hill in a couple months and then he's "always been our guy".

[Jack]

The O, the Tag Heuer about-face within a few hours is strange. You didn't see their earlier press release?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/dec/14/tag-heuer-tiger-woods

[cardinal]

"That's when a spokeswoman told The Associated Press the company would continue with Woods, whom she called 'the best in his domain.'"

He certainly was not the master of his domain.

[Harrison]

IF multiple sponsors drop Tiger. Does Phil get one or more of them? Or who is the next most marketable player? Interesting.

[Dr. Phillips]

This press release is a CYA move on Tag's part. It's analogous to Tiger not ever entering an event until the prior Friday, except the opposite.

On the news tonight it will have morphed into "Tag dropped Tiger today"...

...so they get the benefit of having appeared to drop him (some would see that as a benefit anyway) while their legal team goes through every syllable of the contract to see exactly what their options are, and how much it will cost them if they do decide to get out of the contract.

[Jack]

They're covering their faces.

[Wisconsin Reader]

Is it true that the sensationalist media (e.g., TMC, The Enquirer) have been shocked to see the response their coverage has received? They had no idea so many people would be interested in some golf guy? They are so happy that they are unleashing a heretofore secret investigative team to look into some other high profile professional golfers?

Supposedly they are talking to bookies, pit bosses and sports book operators about Phil M and how he is able to afford wearing nothing but $1,000 a pair exotic skin golf shoes. . . They are interviewing alcohol tax agents, highway patrolmen and some Preachers about Kenny Perry's fleet of muscle cars and his making large contributions to churches entirely with $20 bills. . . Preliminary planning is underway to look into Ian Poulter's wardrobe and whether PETA is concerned. . . It may be we have only seen the tip of the iceberg regarding scandal and our golf professional heroes.

[Aunt Blabbie]

Golf is a boring sport no longer.

[Hitter]

tiger-Pls end this--go out and win something. Win the Masters and all this goes away.

[Harold]

I think this chap is a con artist who happens to have perfect timing. If Tag Heuer sees the connection to them, well, maybe we should look at what makes them tick. Could be we're all getting scammed.

[Observer]

Wisconsin Reader, I think you are onto something, at least in terms of your #1 example!

[GolfFan]

The shoes Phil wears are appx $1800 per pair, for the record. He does not pay for them.

Who the hell would ever buy a Tag Heuer when they could buy a Patek Phillipe, Audmar Piguet, Piaget, Baume et. Mercier or even an Omega watch instead?

Rolexes are only bought by those that don;t know anything at all about Swiss watches.

... still- Ttag ought to Tag him out.

[Dr. Phillips]

He paid for them when he was with Foot-Joy. At least they looked good, those Callaway shoes are hideous.

While I don't wholeheatedly concur with your Rolex comments, here lately they are doing everything possible to drive the brand into the ground, that's for sure.

[Sir Real]

Tag Her is right about him being the best in his domain...but it isn't just golf... heck, keep him on the payroll if you 're marketing to the bad boy crowd.. I think you have the two-spin cycles bang on Geoff. The first to reflect some thoughtful evaluation and the second to cut the chord! There is blood in the water...all those pros better tighten up their "games" or it could get ugly. The free pass on morals for golf is over.

[hitter]

Phil paid for...ANYTHING? I call.

[CBell]

hitter. Has anyone ever accused Phil of being cheap? Tiger's stinginess has been reported for years.

[Dr. Phillips]

hitter, everyone paid for the gator's that was on Foot-Joy staff, no freebies on that model. They certainly didn't pay retail, but they paid.