PR That Takes The Mick

Dan Clifford, director at Haslimann Taylor, writes:

If you were ever looking for examples that prove the power of PR, one of the best places to turn your attention to is the sporting world.

Sometimes it is natural and often it has been worked on very carefully, but the effect of good PR is all too obvious in this high profile arena. Take last week’s US Open golf held in New York. You would expect the world to be rooting for Tiger Woods, he’s the best player on the planet (probably the best to have ever played the game), it’s a privilege to watch him ply his trade, and he is gunning for a record that nobody had thought could ever be broken.

But people weren’t pulling for Woods, because he might be the best but he is not their champion – that title goes to Phil Mickelson*. And why? Just look on message boards, picture galleries or read a few features. Along with being a very fine competitor Mickelson is a PR machine. “Have just stood and watched Phil sign autographs for two hours in the rain – he stayed until he had signed for everyone in the queue” reads one post. “Just seen Phil and his family at the In N Out Burger drive through – what a legend”, “Played in a corporate golf day yesterday and Phil Mickelson was in my team, he turned up wearing shorts carrying his own bag and introduced himself to me and my colleagues by saying ‘hi I’m Phil’”. Quite simply, he knows how to play the game on and off the course. And it matters more now than ever. Social networking and the thirst to share every juicy bit of information have combined to mean that forums, message boards and personal sites are helping to shape the perceptions and images of everybody – and it really matters. If people like Mickelson, then they want to use the same clubs as him, wear the same clothes, eat at the same chains, drive the same car etc.

And that’s the point – this isn’t about Phil Mickelson. It’s just that I’m golf obsessed and he’s a very good illustration of how PR can be so powerful when done genuinely and done consistently. Brand Mickelson shouldn’t be more popular than brand Woods. But it is. Because it reaches out to people, communicates with them, gives them a good experience and encourages them to tell others because they feel priviledged. It doesn’t always deliver the very best, but it’s forgiven because it apologises, it offers to put itself out to compensate and it is accessible. And this PR works in the very best way – you start it and your brand fans embrace it and take the message out further and deeper than you ever could.

By the way, Phil didn’t win the US Open – he came second. But I’m sure the young golf fan he sat down next to on the grass verge by the green to applaud the winner will remember it differently.

* Phil Mickelson is now taking time away from golf as his wife Amy battles breast cancer. We wish her a speedy and full recovery.