[ad_1]
Rumors had been swirling for months, but it wasn’t until Monday that Tiger Woods officially announced on social media that his 27-year deal with Nike has ended.
“Phil Knight’s passion and vision brought this Nike and Nike Golf together and I want to personally thank him, along with the Nike employees and incredible athletes I have had the pleasure of working with along with way,” Woods wrote on Instagram.
A subsequent Nike post on Instagram called the trailblazing partnership “a hell of a run,” and a formal statement reads: “For the past 27 years, we have had the honor to partner with Tiger Woods, one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen. Throughout the course of our partnership, we have witnessed along with the rest of the world, how Tiger not only redefined the sport of golf, but broke barriers for all of sport. We watched him set records, challenge conventional thinking and inspire generations of people around the globe. We are grateful to have been a part of it. We wish him the best in the future.”
Woods’ cryptic postscript on social says “there will certainly be another chapter,” but he hasn’t clarified if that means golf or sponsorships or both. So the future is an open question, though he’s expected to play in the Genesis tournament, a benefit that he hosts, in Los Angeles next month. But he won’t wearing his trademark red and black outfit with the prominent swoosh.
The groundbreaking, mutually lucrative relationship may be over, but the advertising from Wieden+Kennedy will endure, so Adweek has chosen a handful of exceptional commercials from the past few decades. It’s a tough task—especially in the case of “Winning Takes Care of Everything,” a controversial 2013 spot that’s seemingly been scrubbed from the internet—but here are some of the most memorable spots.
“I am Tiger Woods”
Coached and mentored by his father Earl, Woods was a worldwide role model from the moment he turned pro at 20 years old, breaking into a country club bastion long dominated by white men. His debut ad for Nike was called “Hello, World,” and as the follow-up the next year, “I am Tiger Woods” showed just how much impact he had made in a short time. In the spot, starring a diverse array of boys and girls—captured his broad-ranging appeal and made a powerful statement about the future of sports.
