Accenture becomes first sponsor to drop Tiger
Golfing legend Tiger Woods’s sponsorship woes continued today as consultancy firm Accenture announced it is to end its deal with him, saying it believed he was no longer the “right representative” for its advertising.
Accenture has followed Gillette in distancing itself from Woods. Although not completely severing its ties,Gillette recently announced it would not be airing advertisements featuring the golf star or including him in public appearances for an unspecified amount of time.
The companies made their decisions following a bizarre car crash that took place outside Woods’ home last month, which saw the legendary golfer plough his vehicle into a fire hydrant.
Woods subsequently admitted to marital infidelity in a statement posted on his website.
In a statement issued today, Accenture said: “For the past six years, Accenture and Tiger Woods have had a very successful sponsorship arrangement and his achievements on the golf course have been a powerful metaphor for business success in Accenture’s advertising.
“However, given the circumstances of the last two weeks, after careful consideration and analysis, the company has determined that he is no longer the right representative for its advertising.”
Woods has proved an extremely marketable sports star over the course of his golfing career. According to the Associated Press, his is believed to be the first sports star to have earned US$1bn from sponsorship deals.
Woods announced last week that he is to take an indefinite hiatus from golf to attempt to save his marriage.
Photo – Keith Allison