As everyone will know, Tiger Woods made his return to golf last week and unsurprisingly he did very well.
Nike’s new advert features the voice of Wood’s late father Earl who seems to be interrogating Tiger from the grave.
What is so unbelievable about this advert from Nike’s point of view, is that it uses Tiger’s late father’s voice to ultimately promote their product. It’s understandable to use his father’s voice as a sort of moral guidance, but the unmistakable swoosh brings strong connotations that Nike is indeed his father now.
Is his mute figure awestruck by his father’s words or is he awestruck by Nike?
I do think it’s a compelling and clever advert as it makes Woods far more personal to the public. Once you feel you know someone you can trust them and when watching you feel you are a voyeur on the relationship between Earl and Tiger.
And it does raise further questions.
It’s a scandalised and shamed celebrity staring dead-eyed at you while his dead father speaks over him. The commercial is over dramatised but there is definite humility in Tigers’ appearance. He also looks very vulnerable.
Do we feel comfortable with this? Do we care?
