Tag Heuer Drops Tiger Woods

[Hanks]

I'm curous to see how the prototype shoes do for sales...so far I'm underwhelmed by their looks on him....they seem to bunch up his pants at the bottom which goes against Tiger's tradtional 'clean' look fashion-wise.

He was certainly marketing gold for the right product. However his fans have never flocked to his golf equipment based on marketshare numbers. They have flocked to his apparel and footwear though. If and when he comes back to winning regularly (not 1 win), I think companies will embrace him, but never to the extent we saw previously. Too many didnt work out with Gatorade and Buick being the perfect examples (deals that ended prior to 11/09). He will get sponsors back without a doubt, but we are going on a long time with no bag sponsor, that says a lot about who is calling and who isnt.

The Forbes article touched on companies not willing to reach out and have not been for some time. I would like to see him move the needle in something golf hard goods related and see where that takes them. I think it could lead to many many other deals. For some reason or another, his fans have never bought his equipment in large amounts.

 

[biggsy]

Unfortunately that viewership does not translate to consumerism or this would not have happened.
His fans for whatever reason have never flocked to support his hard goods in the world of golf equipment and his core group of fans that have supported him throughout this are unfortunately not the ideal Tag consumer evidently or this deal does not go away, because it was a great deal for Tag.

This is true, or so I've been told, but at his peak, Tiger was beating down sponsors. Sponsors must have seen some value in him.

 

[JB]

This is true, or so I've been told, but at his peak, Tiger was beating down sponsors. Sponsors must have seen some value in him.

No question. Getting offers and having them work are two different things though. Gillette and Tag found great success with him. Gatorade and Buick got a very poor ROI. Nike has had great success with soft goods and average at best with hard goods, fortunately for them, ROI has been strong enough to stick with it, although based on the recent cut of money, it will have to pick up long term (and I think it will). He will get deals when/if he returns to form, but it will never be like it was before. Both the economy and marketability overall dictate that.

 

[#Cookie]

so what does work for him? the soft goods side of things? are co's realizing that Tiger isn't marketing gold any more, if he even was?

Cadillac? Glass repair?

 

[biggsy]

No question. Getting offers and having them work are two different things though. Gillette and Tag found great success with him. Gatorade and Buick got a very poor ROI. Nike has had great success with soft goods and average at best with hard goods, fortunately for them, ROI has been strong enough to stick with it, although based on the recent cut of money, it will have to pick up long term (and I think it will). He will get deals when/if he returns to form, but it will never be like it was before. Both the economy and marketability overall dictate that.

The Buick sponsorship always puzzled me, it never seemed like a good match. I'm surprised Gatorade didn't work however.

I agree with the last part of your post.

 

[MarcW]

The Buick sponsorship always puzzled me, it never seemed like a good match.

Could it have been because Buick was the title sponsor for 2 PGA tournaments, and this would insure that tw would play in them? And maybe they were going for the over-60 tw fans.

 

[Hanks]

or trying to appeal to a younger generation ....

Could it have been because Buick was the title sponsor for 2 PGA tournaments, and this would insure that tw would play in them? And maybe they were going for the over-60 tw fans.

 

[biggsy]

Could it have been because Buick was the title sponsor for 2 PGA tournaments, and this would insure that tw would play in them? And maybe they were going for the over-60 tw fans.

In the end, it never worked for them. He was young and Buick to me always had an old image, it just never made sense. I can see them trying to change that image, but the automobile designs didn't change, they looked old.

 

[thedue]

The Buick sponsorship always puzzled me, it never seemed like a good match. I'm surprised Gatorade didn't work however.

I agree with the last part of your post.

It always seemed to me that Tiger reached a much younger demographic than what Buick could ever hope to reach, but thats what they were aimed at.

 

[Tadashi70]

I would have to think there was a morals clause in the contract. If they really wanted out they could have but they were hoping their cash cow could turn it around. Just a guess.

I thought about that, the Moral Clause, but I think he would have been let go in the early months of this bloodletting of Tiger Sponsors. I do think they were waiting for a turn around.....in his game. But only Tag and Tiger know, oh and Mark S.

The deal did expire, but they had two options that were quite affordable and most did not expect them to opt out of them.

Wow, really! SO what gives, was this a mutal parting of the ways or did TW not want to conform to the new language of the contract?!

 

[Dolfan]

I think they made a mistake dropping them him when they did. I think he'll get hot again and this will be a new opportunity for some company out.

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

opcorn:

 

[TC]

It always seemed to me that Tiger reached a much younger demographic than what Buick could ever hope to reach, but thats what they were aimed at.

But Buick is now targeting a much younger demographic with their vehicles. Perhaps they viewed the partnership as a long term thing, they just didn't expect Tiger to be the person he was. He deceived a lot of people for sure. I don't see Tiger as one who actually moves the needle in terms of sales (look at Nike's golf equipment) but what he did do great: gave his sponsors a tremendous amount of exposure.

 

[Tadashi70]

I'm surprised the makers of Ambien have not called and tried to sign him. I kid of course....

I would have to think there was a morals clause in the contract. If they really wanted out they could have but they were hoping their cash cow could turn it around. Just a guess.

The deal did expire, but they had two options that were quite affordable and most did not expect them to opt out of them.

Cadillac? Glass repair?

 

[JB]

Wow, really! SO what gives, was this a mutal parting of the ways or did TW not want to conform to the new language of the contract?!

This was not a TW decision, this was a Tag decision. The last quote by the CEO says it all to me.

Babin said then Tag Heuer had to "take account of the sensitivity of some consumers."

 

[Tadashi70]

As JB has said, when he is hot he will get sponsors. Different sponsors but he will have them. if he manages a second stellar career, the mega sponsors will come out. If he breaks Jack's record...Open the vault.

I think they made a mistake dropping them him when they did. I think he'll get hot again and this will be a new opportunity for some company out.

 

[drewwood]

Really like Tiger, but love Tag.

 

[War Eagle]

The Buick sponsorship always puzzled me, it never seemed like a good match. I'm surprised Gatorade didn't work however.

I agree with the last part of your post.

The Buick sponsorship was odd. I remember one of their commercials where TW pulled up in an SUV/Minivan crossover and rolled the window down and said something. I never once thought about the car, or the brand. The only thought I had was, "Do you expect me to believe that Tiger drives a minivan?"

Gatorade, figured that would have stuck for a while. But they definitely went all in when the made Gatorade "Tiger."

 

[yorkem]

hey Tiger....what time is it?...time to wake up, start playing some good golf and stop being such an a$$!

FIFY!!

 

[tnc200]

It's just business. Contracts expire and that's just it sometimes. I can't remember ever hearing of a ten year contract in the first place. If I was Tag I'd be offering Kaymer the slot. He seems like the perfect Tag guy. I'd just write in a no bandana or turtleneck clause.

 

[bobcat]

Losing Tag Heuer is probably not a big financial loss for Tiger, but it signifies the loss of sponsers is a trend likely to contiune. i Firing his Caddy the way he did certainly did was no way to bolster his tarnished image. Stevie claims he first learned about it from Tiger over the phone, and only later on did a face-to-face meeting take place. Considering how much success they had together as a Team, telling Stevie he was fired over the phone shows Tiger still lacks class.

 

[Doug the lefty]

I'm in the market for another watch and now I am suddenly more interested in a Tag. Much to ponder.

 

[cg13]

Mad dog radio just said nike told tiger he needed a win at the PGA or they are cutting his endorsements in half. Scheduled to make 19 million this year.

Not sure how much weight I give this but he said report out soon