I can see the commercial sense in Accenture dumping Tiger Woods.
But it’s a shame creatively.
The idea was just about to get interesting.
At launch, ‘go on, be a Tiger‘ was pretty anodyne, exhorting expected corporate virtues like courage and the will to win.
Which wave slave worth his salt wouldn’t expect to be a tiger in those circumstances?
But now ‘go on, be a Tiger‘ feels like a much bigger, more polarising concept – a teasing, tantalising invitation to the darker part of ourselves to cast off its chains and run free.
I could see it now working as a powerful, universal metaphor for all sorts of current contexts:
‘Take over that nice family firm though it will throw hundreds onto the dole? Go on, be a Tiger…’
‘Demand a record bonus, though your bank was bailed out by the taxpayer? Go on, be a Tiger…’
Go on Snowy, be a Tiger...
In fact, I can see its spirit inspiring a whole new approach to advertising.
One that, following Rory’s orders, embraces our new understanding of human psychology.
That sees Robert Heath’s low attention processing theory, then boldly raises it (or, rather, lowers it.)
Namely, advertising to the unconscious.
Let’s call it idvertising.
(Just business as usual in New Zealand then.)
Let’s face it, the conscious mind doesn’t pay attention to advertising anymore anyway.
So let’s bypass it and go direct to the id!
idvertising would be impossible to pre-test (our Superegos would set upon all such concepts and club them to death) but the proof would come via the dark anonymity of the sales results.
And it would guarantee a glorious new era of bold, provocative creativity.
So go on adland – be a Tiger…