Here is the reality: Tiger messed up. The feeding frenzy would have been marginally saner and his reputation less in tatters if he came out earlier, if he did one on-camera interview, if he did lots of things sooner to control the message and its delivery. But then again, that is just an easy answer, one that has fast become a panacea, quoted by every expert. In this case, one thing we are clear on is that we don't know all the details. Also, if he came out with the "transgressions" statement immediately after the crash, it would have helped, but also raised more questions about the cause of the crash. As I said...it's messy. A good crisis operative would have better understood how the story would unfold, how fast and relentless it would move, driven by TMZ and the blogosphere, and would have counseled the importance of acting quickly and definitively and would have applied the tourniquet sooner.
Our firm is expert at all manner of crisis: we have worked with high profile individuals, public officials and the occasional celebrity, as well as corporations, organizations and institutions, on personal matters, criminal and civil charges, and reputational threats. I am going to share a secret rarely uttered in this field: sometimes you are just toast. That's right, I said it. This is not something we would want to say to a client, but it's a message we have to convey because, well, sometimes it's true. If you have a big secret you are keeping and it is at odds with your public persona, at some point it likely will come out. The politician hiding promiscuity, the celebrity hiding the substance abuse problem, the do-gooder up to no good -- it tends to catch up with all of them. And when it does, there is no "fixing" it, no putting the genie back in the bottle. There are other types of crises that are in fact "fixable." I just think it should be acknowledged that some aren't, at least not in the way that some people expect.
Here are two pieces of advice that hopefully you won't ever need - for yourself or your organization:
* Don't hire us or anyone else thinking we/they can "kill" the story. And if a crisis PR practitioner says he can, run in the other direction. Of course, there have been instances in which we have convinced a reporter that they have been misled in a situation and there is not much to what they think they have, effectively making the story go away. But when you are already news, like Tiger or some mini-version of Tiger, when the reporter or columnist calls, they already have the story. It doesn't matter how well we know them. They are writing. Now it is up to us to work with them on your behalf, to try to influence the piece, getting your side in through statements or third party quotes, refuting false and salacious rumors, and mitigating damaging elements where possible.
* Secondly, don't ask the media to "respect your and your family's privacy at this difficult time." It antagonizes members of the media, who have a job to do, and think to themselves "well, if you hadn't created this problem for yourself, we wouldn't be here." My boss is particularly fond of this statement when it is made by an accused (and likely guilty) criminal. Don't bother saying it.
A final thought - I feel a heck of a lot sorrier for the Secret Service than I do for Tiger. And theirs' too is a cautionary tale. Imagine doing your job right every day; being a dedicated professional willing to take a bullet; probably having foiled countless plots against the President's and others' lives; and, taking immense pride in your job. And then one day, some idiot lets a couple through a checkpoint because they are trailed by a camera crew. And now everyone thinks you and your colleagues are all hacks. Now there is a reputation threat I would like to help with.
"And if a crisis PR practitioner says he can, run in the other direction"...or suggest they will only be paid a success fee if in fact they pull it off!!
I am curious to see how Tiger is treated when he eventually hits the links, how he actually does on the course and whether his transgressions will result in fights among spouses on who controls the TV clicker on Sunday afternoons, "I don't want that sex-addicted cad in my livingroom!!"
Well said. I would like to add that the public is not at a loss for advice from crisis experts on what Tiger should have done -- that is true. However, who's coming forward to say what Tiger should do now? How does he save himself from himself and the media and his wife and everyone else who's reading about him every day?
Also, no one but Tiger knows why he chose the response strategy that he did. He's had an unblemished reputation up until very recently, and is one of the best known athletes in the world, so to think himself able to combat the repurcussions of his "car accident" isn't really that outlandish. However, I'm sure he realizes that even he is human and that he really can't run and hide, being who he is and what he's done.
I think he's so embarassed and humiliated that he physically and mentally CAN'T come forward. He's never had to deal with anything like this before. I mean it would be difficult enough for a public figure who didn't have an unblemished reputation and who was used to dealing with the media, but Tiger?
It's interesting to see that Tiger thought it was possible to lie about the wife "rescuing" him with the golf club when his vehicle hit the hydrant... to hide all those women, whose number has entered the two digits... to think he can just say nothing and that everything will go away.
It will also be interesting to see when and how he will return to public life. I have always admired Tiger's talent, but at the same time I just can't believe how naive and immoral he is.
I don't know if I feel sorrier for the Secret Service, they failed to do their job. An individual does not a group make, but that individual should be fired and tighter scrutiny should be implemented so the group is stronger. It also now gives them a very public reason why they should never let their guard down, and now they have carte blanche to be complete jerks to politicians and others who think they should be let through just because of who they are. So they'll be just fine.
Tiger on the other hand did his job on the golf course. If only he hadn't banked on his own integrity -- that was his mistake. As I flew through London recently every billboard in the new terminal was Tiger, for Accenture. Now that's who I feel sorry for. Everyone in the terminal was making double entendre jokes. How can a company who markets business judgment been remiss in investigating a man who supposedly has been linked with 10 women?? There's no repairing that one. They just have to pull the ads that they paid millions for, and wait for it to fade. Ouch....
In fairness to Accenture, this seems to have caught everyone by surprise--Tiger is subject to pretty close scrutiny by the papparazzi press and his "transgressions" only recently came to light--I agree with the "ouch"
"Toast". A very simple word that we use to describe someone/something that is DONE. There is no hiding it, no denying it and no spinning it. No one can help Tiger - not for all the money in the world (or at least the billion he has reportedly made).
I think that Tiger should get his personal affairs in order (no pun intended) and then take a good long sabatical from the sports world and spend every waking minute explaining to his young and adoring fans that he is not someone that they should aspire to be, that there is no excuse for what he's done and that all the money, fame and hookers in the world can not and will not make you happy. In other words, Tiger is the only one who can put a spin on this and he'd better start spinning - at least before we find out that he's been shooting steroids before his matches!
I totally agree. Any PR person that claims that they could have prevented this situation has lost touch with reality. From the moment that the accident happened and Tiger refused to speak to police, the story took on a life of its own. At this point, the only PR plan that could be remotely successful is one that would be long term (very long term).
I think the reality check that no PR firm could stop this story from breaking is dead on. If God had a PR firm, he couldn't have prevented Tiger from being "Toast".
No Comment just gets you into further trouble as well - we all know that. He needs to stop the bleeding and create a long term PR plan to resurrect his image.
As for the Secret Service, I still think there is more to the story that has yet to come out. If and when it comes out that there was an insider that let the Salahi's into the White House, the Secret Service might be vindicated but their reputation will be forever tarnished.