It’s a story that every brand loves to tell given the chance. The climb back to the top feels like part of the Nike brand story in so many ways.
A partnership turning into history
It’s hard to imagine the Nike Gold brand without Tiger Woods. (I anticipate seeing his son, Charlie Woods, in the Nike Sunday Red at Augusta in the near future.)
Yes, there will be other Nike athletes. And yes, Tiger Woods’ next chapter will be impactful, no matter where he goes.
But none will be as memorable as the relationship these two had over the past two-plus decades. I can’t imagine this was an easy decision for either side, especially due to the length of the relationship. Phil Knight even wrote about the relationship with Woods in his memoir, Shoe Dog. The two are intertwined forever because of the relationship.
After seeing Woods play at both the Hero World Challenge and the PNC Championship, watching him walk without a limp and seeing his passion for the game still there, there was nothing I looked forward to more than seeing the Nike ad about his comeback. How he came back from another low—a nearly career-ending car accident—and continued to fight, strive and be the greatest of all time.
Golf fans everywhere want to see if Tiger Woods can still be, well, Tiger Woods. Can he continue to break records? Can he still compete the way he did in 2019 during his epic Masters win?
While both brands will continue to thrive, we have to wonder what’s been lost. The history, the iconic symbols, the indelible moments and some of the best advertising in sports marketing. Like Woods said, we will see the new chapter in Los Angeles when he (hopefully) competes at the Genesis Invitational. I know I’ll be watching.
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