Opposite Ends of the Ad Spectrum

Let’s take a look at two sports-related commercials that I saw for the first time yesterday and couldn’t be on more opposite ends of the sports advertising spectrum:

#1 – Tiger / Earl Woods and Nike Golf

At this point, I think everyone has seen this ad, and the reaction is all over the place from what I can tell. On the negative side, I’ve heard:

• Too soon for Tiger to be in any commercial
• Inappropriate to use his father’s voice, and a bit creepy
• Nike shouldn’t emphasize their relationship with Tiger right now
• Tiger still come off as unemotional just staring at the camera

On the positive side, I’ve heard:

• It’s the right way to re-introduce him to the market
• Creative way to acknowledge the scandal and start moving forward
• Honest, emotional and connects with the viewers
• Strong move to show Nike’s dedication and support of Tiger

Personally, I think this will end up being an effective approach, especially if Tiger can keep up his strong showing this weekend. Nike is so dependent on Tiger’s success for the health and growth of their golf line that they needed to do something in conjunction with his return, and if they tried to overlook the scandal to make a more traditional Tiger ad, it would have been a massive failure. Now the important question is, what did you think of the ad? Leave your opinion in the comments!

#2 – David Wright / “The Situation” and Vitamin Water

I don’t really have too much to say about this one, but I thought it was a particularly funny way to combine an athlete with a reality show/pop culture figure like “The Situation.” Vitamin Water continues to do well with their creative ad campaigns, and this is a perfect fit with their brand.