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Why Accenture Had To Drop Tiger Woods

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Global consulting giant Accenture PLC is the first major sponsor to cut ties with golf superstar Tiger Woods since his alleged extramarital affairs surfaced and he announced an indefinite leave from the sport. This is a big move for Accenture, which has prominently featured Woods as its brand representative in ads for years. Many consumers don't know what the global management, technology services and outsourcing company does, but they do know the company is affiliated with Woods, who also has endorsement deals with Nike , Procter & Gamble and Tag Heuer, a unit of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA . That close affiliation is a big reason Accenture had to drop Woods, says crisis marketing consultant and author Eric Dezenhall, who heads Dezenhall Resources in Washington, D.C.

Forbes: Tiger Woods has done a lot to boost the profile of the Accenture brand in ads and public appearances for six years. Isn't it risky for this company to scrap its relationship with a sports icon?

Eric Dezenhall: When you are a company in a business a lot of people don't understand, that gives the spokesperson you have so much more equity. That said, when you live by the icon, you can die by the icon. Accenture executives realized they were going to have to spend 24 hours a day talking to media and clients about Tiger Woods. More than any grand strategic thought, it is the day-by-day nick, nick, nick by a thousand cuts and punch lines that very few corporations can handle, particularly if a spokesperson has become the symbol of what they do. They didn't have much choice.

What should Accenture do now?

They will go to their ad agency and say: How do we address our brand so that so much is not invested in one individual? You can be sure that all their chips won't be on one number. This may be a good time for them to say more about their company--to define their services rather than go with a stratospheric icon that may get a lot of attention but doesn't tell anyone a lot about what they do.

Do you expect other companies that use Woods as an endorser to drop him?

For consumer products companies, their affiliation with him and his troubles aren't as big a deal. Tiger Woods at his peak may have been a plus for them, but the relationship did not solely define what he did--or what they did.

How long will it take for Woods to make a comeback?

Time solves an awful lot of problems. My view is whenever you are in the early stages of one of these things, it is always doom, gloom and the end of the world. The truth is, if he can perform in his sport and win, this thing will recede more quickly than you can imagine. There is a time when the mood shifts and people say "enough." People need to see this play out. People need to see that he has suffered emotionally and financially. There is no drive-thru redemption. Once someone has cried "uncle" and performed in his or her chosen field, the chances of a comeback are good--but it may not be with the same force or the same companies.

So even after he fixes his personal life and returns to golf, he'll be damaged goods to some marketers?

Some marketers will have to be more careful than others. If he's able to come back from this, the idea of his capacity to focus despite adversity will be a new "hook" to talk about--but it won't be right for everybody. It might be great for Under Armour--but not Accenture.