Tiger Woods - finding fulfillment at every step

Another day, another celebrity makes a fool of themselves. This time Tiger Woods has been a bit of a naughty boy allegedly knocking up at least 10 extramarital notches on his bedpost. Not great news then for Accenture, the global IT services company which has sponsored the professional golfer since 2003, featuring him in much of the company’s print, broadcast and digital adverting.

It’s not the first time that a celebrity has damaged a brand by doing or saying something a bit stupid and it won’t be the last. But sometimes it’s not just the advert that can get companies in hot water; it’s where the ad has been placed. Marks & Spencer discovered this earlier this year when the company quickly decided to pull it’s advertising from the Daily Mail’s website after users spotted it appearing alongside Jan Moir’s homophobic article about Stephen Gateley’s death.

Only time will tell if Accenture, Nike, Electronic Arts and the other brands that Tiger Woods represents will continue to back the star. But what’s clear is that businesses need a contingency plan in place to deal with the transgressions of celebrities.