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Monday, December 14, 2009

Major Sponsor Ends Relationship with Woods

According to an article today in the Wall Street Journal, Accenture has become the first sponsor to end its endorsement of Tiger Woods. Accenture has been a six-year sponsor of Tiger Woods, having used him as a "centerpiece of the company's ad campaigns, which included print, cable and TV advertising in 27 countries, as well as display ads in airports." The conclusion of the relationship comes at the end of a long series of events that began with a mysterious car crash and ended in a voluminous list of extramarital affairs.

The company first sponsored Woods in 2003, when it described him as "'famous not only for his success on the golf course,'" but as being "'equally renowned for his work ethic, focus and commitment to continual improvement.'" This statement underscores the more recent events that have been incredibly detrimental to Woods's credibility and image, as it contrasts drastically with the public's current perception of the world famous golfer.

Do you think that Woods could have saved his relationships with his sponsors if he had been more proactive in dealing with the public and the media following the shaky events of the last few months? Could Woods's current predicament have been avoided if he and his PR team had handled the crisis differently? What can be done now to salvage what is left of his image and the public's respect for him?

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