Tiger Wood’s apology speech can teach your brand lots about selling, evoking emotion and getting people on your side. The complete transcript of Tiger Wood’s apology speech is typed out (by yours truly) below. Here are twelve lessons we can learn from his speech in terms of branding and marketing:
1. Broadcast your message on YouTube.
I didn’t watch the live speech on T.V.. I watched it on YouTube as a result of seeing someone tweet about it. Tiger was wise to employ one of the top social media platforms to broadcast his message.
2. If you, your brand or product messes up, give a heartfelt apology.
The fourth sentence in Tiger’s speech is his apology. Tiger says, “I want to say to each of you simply and directly, I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behaviour I engaged in.” The beauty of apologizing is that it allows everyone to relax and listen to why you messed up and how you plan to fix it.
3. Surround yourself with supporters.
In Tiger’s first line, he points out, “Many of you in this room are my friends.” In one of his last lines, he says, “In recent weeks, I have received many thousands of emails, letters and phone calls from people expressing good wishes.”
When your brand is in a spot of difficulty, it’s really important to show, explain or demonstrate that you still have supporters. It’s also nice if they pick you up and brush you off. It’s a time when you need cheerleaders, not detractors.
4. Make sure everyone knows that mom still loves your brand.
Tiger’s mom was prominently placed for the video cameras in the front row when he delivered his speech. She was the first to hug him at the end of it too. If mom trusts and loves your brand, who can argue with that?
5. If the product is broken or recalled, don’t return it to the shelves until there is more research and development, but do tell everyone that the product will be new and improved and it will return soon.“I’ve learned to seek support from my peers in therapy and I hope some day to return that support to others who are seeking help. I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don’t know when that day will be. I don’t rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behaviour more respectful of the game.”
6. Show the “gladiator-shield-wielding-strong-side” of your brand. Tiger says, “Despite the damage I have done, I still believe it is right to shield my family from the public spotlight.”
This sets Tiger up as a fighter, a hero, a champion for his family, rather than the villain who brought it down.
7. Ask your customers to overlook your weaknesses and focus on what you’ve learned from the experience.
Tiger says, “I once heard, and I believe it’s true, it’s not what you achieve in life that matters, it’s what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count.”
This is the classic red herring that says, forget about the past (how he messed up) and focus on the future (what he has learned from this experience and how it has shaped him into a man of character).
8. Underscore the charitable side of your work, brand, or product.
Tiger says, “Thirteen years ago my dad and I envisioned helping young people achieve their dreams through education. This work remains unchanged and will continue to grow. From the learning centre students in southern California to the Earl Woods scholars in Washington, D.C., millions of kids have changed their lives and I am dedicated to making sure that continues.”
In talking about his foundation, it shows that Tiger could still be likeable because of the charitable work he does for his community.
9. Reveal an intimate secret value that people can connect with.
“Part of following this path, for me, is Buddhism which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don’t realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint.”
The phrasing “people don’t realize it” says, “Listen closely, I’m going to tell you something intimate about myself.” In this “reality-show-day-and-age”, people want to know the intimate secrets and values of your product or brand. Give them a taste of it, and they’ll be coming back for more.
10. Assure everyone that you will play by the rules.
Tiger says, “I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn’t have to go far to find them. I was wrong. I was foolish. I don’t get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone, apply to me.”
This is a clever way to assure everyone that Tiger is not above everyone. He can still play in the same sandbox and get along.
11. Make sure everyone knows you still have a spine.
Speculation that Elin beat up on Tiger made Tiger look like a weakling. Tiger had to put that fire out by saying, “Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever. Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise, not blame.”
What a clever way of phrasing it. He was made to look like a hero for defending Elin, when in fact this whole statement was designed to show he still has a spine and wasn’t emasculated by his wife.
12. Ask for the sale.
Tiger says, “Today, I want to ask for your help. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again. Thank you.” This is the classic trial close to see if you will buy.
Here is the complete transcript of Tiger Wood’s Apology Speech on February 19, 2010:Good morning and thank you for joining me.
Many of you in this room are my friends. Many of you in this room know me, many of you have cheered for me, or you worked with me or you supported me. Now, everyone of you has good reason to be critical of me.
I want to say to each of you simply and directly, I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behaviour I engaged in. I know people want to find out how I could be so selfish and so foolish. People want to know how I could have done these things to my wife Elin and to my children.
And while I have always tried to be a private person, there are some things I want to say. Elin and I have started the process of discussing the damage caused by my behaviour. As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words. It will come from my behaviour over time. We have a lot to discuss. However, what we say to each other will remain between the two of us. I am aware of the pain my behaviour has caused to those of you in this room.
I have let down. I have let down my fans. For many of you, especially my friends, my behaviour has been a personal disappointment. To those of you who work for me, I have let you down personally and professionally. My behaviour has caused considerable worry to my business partners. To everyone involved in my foundation including my staff, board of directors, sponsors, and most importantly the young students we reach, our work is more important than ever.
Thirteen years ago my dad and I envisioned helping young people achieve their dreams through education. This work remains unchanged and will continue to grow. From the learning centre students in southern California to the Earl Woods scholars in Washington, D.C. millions of kids have changed their lives and I am dedicated to making sure that continues.
But still, I know, I have bitterly disappointed all of you. I have made you question who I am and how I could have done the things I did. I am embarrassed that I put you in this position. For all that I have done (long pause) I am so sorry. (pause) I have lot to atone for. (sigh) But there is one issue that I would like to discuss.
Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever. Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise, not blame.
The issue involved here, was my repeated irresponsible behaviour. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable and I am the only person to blame.
I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn’t apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by.
I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn’t have to go far to find them. I was wrong. I was foolish. I don’t get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone, apply to me.
I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me. I have had a lot of time to think about what I’ve done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before.
It’s now up to me to make amends and that starts by never repeating the mistakes I’ve made. It’s up to me to start living a life of integrity. I once heard, and I believe it’s true, it’s not what you achieve in life that matters, it’s what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count. Parents used to point to me as a role model for their kids. I owe all those families a special apology. I want to say to them that I am truly sorry. It’s hard to admit that I need help, but I do.
For forty five days, from the end of December to early February, I was in in-patient therapy receiving guidance for the issues I am facing. I have a long way to go about taking my first steps in the right direction. As I proceed, I understand people have questions. I understand the press wants to ask me for the details of the times I was unfaithful. I understand people want to know if Elin and I will remain together. Please know, that as far as I am concerned, everyone of these questions and answers is a matter between Elin and me. These are issues between a husband and a wife.
Some people have made up things that never happened. They said I used performance enhancing drugs. This is completely and utterly false. Some have written things about my family. Despite the damage I have done, I still believe it is right to shield my family from the public spotlight. They did not do these things, I did. I have always tried to maintain a private space for my wife and children. They have been kept separate from my sponsors and my commercial endorsements.
When my children were born, we only released photographs so that the paparazzi could not chase them. However, my behaviour doesn’t make it right for the media to follow my two and a half year old daughter to school and report the school’s location. They staked out my wife and they pursued my mom. Whatever my wrong doings, for the sake of my family, please leave my wife and kids alone.
I recognize I have brought this on myself. And I know, above all, I am the one who needs to change. I owe it to my family to become a better person. I owe it to those closest to me to become a better man. That’s where my focus will be. I have a lot of work to do and I intend to dedicate myself to doing it.
Part of following this path, for me, is Buddhism which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don’t realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint.
Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught. As I move forward, I will continue to receive help because I’ve learned that is how people really do change.
Starting tomorrow, I will leave for more treatment and more therapy. I would like to thank my friends at Accenture and the players in the field this week for understanding why I’m making these remarks today.
In therapy, I’ve learned the importance of looking at my spiritual life and keeping it in balance with my professional life. I need to regain my balance and be centred so I can save the things that are most important to me, my marriage and my children. That also means relying on others for help. I’ve learned to seek support from my peers in therapy and I hope some day to return that support to others who are seeking help.
I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don’t know when that day will be. I don’t rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behaviour more respectful of the game.
In recent weeks, I have received many thousands of emails, letters and phone calls from people expressing good wishes. To everyone who has reached out to me and my family, thank you. Your encouragement means the world to Elin and me. I want to thank the PGA tour, Commissioner Finchen and the players for their patience and understanding while I work on my private life. I look forward to seeing my fellow players on the course.
Finally, there are many people in this room and there are many people at home who believed in me. Today, I want to ask for your help. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again. Thank you.
(sniffle, hugs his mom and front row supporters)
Thanks for reading.
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Courtenay Pitcher, Skeptic
