TIGER’S NOT SO GRRREEAATT!!!

Tell it first, tell it yourself and tell it all. That is the tried and true formula for handling a messy public relations crisis in the smoothest possible way. I have been stunned by the level of amateur handlers who have dealt with Tiger Woods and his situation since he crashed his car at 2:30 A.M. last week while driving barefoot. By avoiding the media and the police, Tiger is turning a molehill into a mountain, giving every hungry reporter, paparazzi and investigative blogger an even bigger bounty to chase down the details of his not-so-perfect private life.

Public relations is not  a new concept, and as such I am perplexed over the lack of skill and precision that has taken place with the Woods matter.  As a result Woods has suffered damage to his personal brand.

First, no one in his situation should put out a statement to the press, as he did, that the rumors circulating were malicious and not true if in fact there was fire with the smoke.  

Second, do not ever say to the press that there are no more questions to be answered, and no more to be added to the story.  That is about the worst thing anyone can say to the press when there is indeed a boatload of more questions that needs to be answered.

Here are some quick points that Team Tiger must consider when crafting their next move in this complicated situation:

1) Take a note from David Letterman: In America, the truth sets you free. Conversely, we remain slaves to that which is perceived to be deceitful. By being so stoic, Tiger Woods is doing himself no favors, and the public will ultimately get angry.

2) Tiger can conquer the world, but he can’t control it: Tiger Woods can demand that the world allow him to have privacy in his personal affairs, but the truth is that Woods has earned over a billion dollars by asking for the public’s attention. You can’t turn your fame on and off like a faucet.

3) Making a deal with the devil: Tiger Woods was labeled to be squeaky clean and he gets paid as if he were squeaky clean. The big problem is that when the world finds out that you are only human, it’s going to cost you. Tiger is not quite the endorsement steal that he used to be, but he was probably never as perfect as his sponsors pretended that he was. In some ways, this might be a liberating experience for Tiger Woods.

4) Sports can’t quite conquer all: Tiger has earned roughly 10 percent of his billion dollar fortune playing golf. The rest has been earned with appearances, endorsements and other extra perks. So, the idea that Tiger can simply win on the golf course and make this all go away might be a bit flawed. The rules of financial gravity change when you are the greatest golfer that the world has ever seen.

Truth is, with a strong PR strategy, Woods’ scandal could present a hole in one to humanize his personal brand. Woods and the sports media have cultivated the image of a super-human athlete, but have kept his personal life mostly private. Tiger has always been in his own endorsement category. If he can humanize his brand it will provide an opportunity for him to authentically leverage his influence and garner major endorsements.

Tiger should humanize his brand via social media outlets, specifically with Twitter and real-time raw video. His Facebook presence has a polished and promotional tonality leaving fans wanting a glimpse behind-the-scenes. He’s been this untouchable perfect sports icon and fans, consumers think of him as a superhuman versus a real person. If he had allowed people to see the person behind the superstar personality, perceptions and expectations could have been different in recent events.

Obama said it best: “YES WE CAN.”  Tiger can use this scandal to humanize himself and essentially rebrand his image… just a thought. What do you think?