This Article is From Apr 08, 2010

New Nike ad uses Tiger, his father's voice

New Nike ad uses Tiger, his father's voice
Augusta, US: Nike, which stood by Tiger Woods when AT&T and Accenture dropped him, began running a new 30-second commercial on Wednesday that uses the recorded voice of his father, Earl, who died in 2006. In the commercial, Woods looks at the camera with a dour, unchanging expression as his father's voice says: "Tiger, I am more prone to be inquisitive, to promote discussion. I want to find out what your thinking was. I want to find out what your feelings are. And did you learn anything."

The remarks are clearly intended to sound as if Earl Woods is talking about the scandal created by his son's extramarital affairs. But Nike did not say what the original context of Earl Woods' comments were.

The ad, which was broadcast on ESPN and the Golf Channel at 6 p.m. Eastern, will run until Thursday afternoon.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the content of the commercial earlier Wednesday and said that it had been shot at Isleworth Country Club, a golf course near Woods' home in Windermere, Fla.

In a statement, Nike said: "We support Tiger and his family. As he returns to competitive golf, the ad addresses his time away from the game using the powerful words of his father."

Bob Dorfman, the executive vice president of Baker Street Advertising, said that the timing and content of the ad was in keeping with Nike's deep relationship with Woods.

"They've been behind him all the way," he said. "Nike's gained the most from his success, building an entire golf division on his back. Now, it seems like he's turned the corner with the last press conference pushing us back to Tiger the golfer."

The tone of Nike's new ad - meant to refer to the scandal and to herald Woods' return to golf after a five-month absence - stands in contrast to that of the upbeat and socially aware one that Nike produced when Woods turned pro in 1996. "Hello World," it said. It is also quite different from the notable one in which Woods juggled a ball on a club head.

Building on the patch:

Since 1928, the Augusta Municipal Golf Course has been the affordable site for 18 holes of play in the host city of the Masters.

Lovingly known as The Patch, it was the first course that allowed blacks to three-putt along with whites, and it remains the least expensive golf option in town.

On Wednesday morning, a handful of golfers gathered for a round to raise funds for The First Tee of Augusta, the local chapter of an international initiative that offers youngsters a chance to develop "life-enhancing values" through golf.

Organizers included Edward Wanambwa, senior editor of African American Golfer's Digest magazine, who said of The Patch, "This is where the caddies at Augusta National used to play and was a stop on the black pro tour."

"We're hoping to build on that," he added. 
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