Golf Advertising (update I)

There's obviously different levels of golf advertising with respect to the use of the game's best as a marketing tool. Generally, there are three divisions: the beauty of the game approach, the pragmatic product superiority approach, and the mystification/humanization approach.

One) There is the symbolic golf commercial where the "beauties" of the game are used to emotionally exploit consumers.

This "dream-foursome" advertisement is, literally, the epitome of this genre.

**My dream-foursome: My father, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan (not to be a cliche)

Two) Then you have the classic product superiority perspective -- our product (Titleist golf balls) are superior to the competition; just look at how the world's best overwhelmingly choose to play with it.

Third) In my experience, the third tier of golf advertising is the most successful -- the use of the mystery, aura, and characteristics that surrounds the professional golfer. It seems that this genre is subdivided further into two categories: one) the use of a golfer in a lighthearted, potentially humorous portrayal that is memorable, but not significant, and two) the use of the competitive mystique that surrounds a golfer.

This commercial is humorous and soft, but both illustrates that the best players in the world play Titleist golf balls, as well as slightly demystifies these PGA Tour players.

I realize that the following commercial is a repost, but it has emotionally resonated with me as no other commercial has.

As I recall, this commercial originally ran during the 2008 U.S. Open as Tiger Woods was facing unparalleled difficult circumstances with his knee injury (with the exception of Ben Hogan's career following the car accident).

The success of this Tiger Woods add is that dehumanizes Tiger Woods in that it presents him as destined, that it humanizes him in that his emotions are visually presented, his father is presented as the narrator of Tiger’s life, that it evokes an emotional response for sons and fathers, and that it is tastefully and exceptionally well produced.

The use of the superstar athlete as a marketing vehicle is an unparalleled approach to commercial advertising that is distinguished in that it often stands independently of any significant affiliation to a specific product. While there may be an advertisement that features a golfer describing the superiorities of a particular piece of golf equipment, more often the advertisement is dedicated to selling an affiliation (or, perhaps, more strongly a relationship) between a particular superstar and a commercial organization.

It is not that Nike uses Tiger Woods as a means to sell Nike drivers or golf balls, but rather that Nike uses Tiger Woods to broadcast an intangible connection between the player and the public – fans have an emotional attachment to Tiger (or any player of celebrity-note) whether it is a general interest or fascination, respect for a man accomplishing that which the fan cannot, or, at the extreme, a vicarious relationship where the fan is frequently and strongly emotionally impacted by the successes, failures, and acts of the golfer.

Where the athlete needs to be humanized for fans to have an emotional connection with him or her, that same athlete is often further and purposefully mystified in advertising – where we want our athletic heroes to have a human quality, we still want them to exist as a paradigm we cannot achieve.

As I have relentlessly stated, the commercial success of sport rests on that sports ability to facilitate an athlete/fan relationship that provides for an insight into the human qualities of the athlete while maintaining the cliché and mystery of athletic competition that is the catalyst for sporting interest. With that said, commercial organizations with a vested interest in athletics (whether because of the company’s products/purpose or through a simple spokesperson affiliation) are most successful when they can present a branded athlete as synonymous with that company, while also propagating the basis for the athlete/fan relationship independently.