Creepy Nike Ad Uses Audio of Tiger Wood's Dead Father, Earl Woods

Does the Commercial Tarnish the Golfer's Image or Does it Salvage It?

Jan Corn
With Tiger Woods set to return to the PGA tour, it would seem like that would be drama enough, especially with info continuing to come up about his various mistresses and sexual activities. There have been inevitable and persistent questions.Could Woods ignore the media and fan questions about his personal life? Would the scandals shake his confidence? Would more mistresses come forth to share experiences of sexual escapades with Tiger Woods?

With those types of musings already in the air, it seemed an ill-timed moment for Nike to air a genuinely creepy commercial starring a stern and stone-faced Woods looking silently into the camera as the words of Earl Woods, his dead father, are heard on screen asking his son about what he learned.

The commercial can be seen on YouTube here and seems to be sum up everyone's questions about Woods in the last months. This time, however, the questions come from Tiger's dead father, adding to the surreal and eerie quality.

Earl Woods, Tiger Woods Deceased Father, Asks the Right Questions but His Son Remains Silent

In the commercial, Earl Woods (Tiger's deceased father) says, "I want to find out what your thinking was; I want to find out what your feelings are. And did you learn anything?" His tone seems is serious and even scolding. But Tiger Woods doesn't answer those questions. He simply continues to stare into the camera, letting the viewers decide what it all means.

I could only wonder, "What was Tiger thinking when he agreed to make this commercial?" Other viewers may interpret his silence as guilt or a sign that Woods doesn't consider the answers to those questions to be anyone's business. Still others may consider the commercial a sign that Woods feels accountable for his actions and that his father's words convey that message.

Tiger Woods Creepy Nike Commercial Raises More Questions Than it Answers

Although the words of Earl Woods are taken out of context, the questions are ones which have been echoed by fans as well as detractors of the golfer. The words of Earl Woods mirror their own curiosity about how Woods felt and if he did indeed learn anything. But to air a commercial using the words of a deceased father, a man who was clearly proud of his son, in this very perplexing commercial, seems genuinely confusing. If Nike wants to make money, the commercial may do that but...

How Does Nike Portray Tiger Woods?

The commercial seems to keep the scandals front and center by posing loaded questions about how Woods thought, how he feels and what he has learned. Is this truly how Tiger Woods wants to brand himself, particularly for a Nike commercial? One has to wonder if he gave into pressure from Nike.True, he isn't flinching from the reality of what he did but he also leaves much to personal interpretation. Making money by continuing to dredge up the scandals may be seen as tasteless by many.

Nike could also be hedging its bets by not portraying Tiger Woods as a superstar or role model. Perhaps it is more realistic to show Woods in the present, facing his problems and being put on the spot with uncomfortable questions, including what Woods has learned from all this. Hopefully, the commercial (harsh as it is), means that Tiger is ready to get back to playing golf and getting both his business and his personal life ins order, rather than in shambles. It is just too bad that Tiger Woods remained silent throughout the commercial and didn't answer a single question.

Source:

YouTube video of Tiger Woods, Nike commercial here

Published by Jan Corn

I've had extensive experience with DIY and home renovation projects, particularly after buying a home that was in need of repair. As the daughter of a builder, I'd learned a few things when helping my fathe...  View profile

58 Comments

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  • Yakimah12/19/2010

    Yes it is going to far when will it end. Find someone else to attach

  • Patricia Sicilia4/22/2010

    This has just gone way too far.

  • Linda M. McCloud4/15/2010

    Not sure what I think of this until I actually see it.

  • Charley Anne Prescott4/15/2010

    He should be thinking about his Dad, but that commercial is a bit bizarre in my opinion. It just does not seem appropriate to commercialize a deceased parent's memory. Not sure if it's accurate, but I read somewhere his wife was not thrilled about the commercial either.

  • Tara Darity4/15/2010

    very weird!!

  • Laura Everly4/13/2010

    Didn't see the ad., but I am becoming more and more discouraged by our media and entertainment centers. I am a writer and PR person at heart, but it really is disheartening what is publisized and pushed. Very good article and very well written. Very hot topic right now. (obviously-again good job) Laura Everly

  • Judy Kaelin4/12/2010

    I found the ad very disrespectful - and I don't care for Tiger anyway!

  • Catherine Dagger4/11/2010

    I hope Nike get the message that the ad was just revolting. Woods is such a creep - using his wife's misery and his father's death to cash in. Yuk.

  • Heather Kristina Thomas4/11/2010

    I have yet to see the ad, but it sounds pretty awful. Nice article!

  • Linda StCyr4/10/2010

    tarnish... it was just creepy

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