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December 28,
2009
 Humpty
Dumpty Woods
Tiger Woods sat on a wall.
Tiger Woods had a great fall.
All of his billions and all of the spin
Couldn’t put Tiger together ag’in.
Okay, I’m no competition to Mother Goose. However, if
any of you ever doubted the power of metaphor, just look at the
Tiger Woods debacle. In a few short days, he went from
being the ultimate metaphor for admired top performance to being
the poster child for scandal, shame, and personal failure.
A marketer’s dream, Tiger Woods with his handsome, whistle
clean, and high performing image made millions for companies
like Accenture (“Go on, be a Tiger”), Gillette, and Nike. They
all benefitted from the metaphoric rub-off his reputation gave
them. And, he, of course, made many millions for himself as
well.
Now, “Go on, be a Tiger” will forever be the punch-line to some
lame joke and evoke totally different associations in our minds
-- which explains why his former sponsors have all dropped him.
I was not a Tiger Woods sponsor, but in my own small way I was
affected by his downfall. I am writing a follow-up book to
Metaphorically Selling (more about that in the New Year) and had
to replace a positive reference to him with another (I chose
Michael Jordan) because Tiger’s name no longer “works” as a
compliment (a bit like Bernie Madoff, who was seen as an
investment genius – until he wasn’t.)
Lesson
What's in a metaphor? Everything.
Hope your holiday continues to be happy. See you in the
New Year.
Anne
Miller
Make What You Say, Pay — With Metaphors.
Metaphors in the News...
Thank you,
Jim Kennedy, Interview Edge, and
Fred Barnes,
Distinction-Services, for sending these in to TMM.
Health Care
Congressman Jack Kingston from Georgia had plenty to say about
the size and scope of the 2000 page Health Care bill: “If
your kitchen sink is leaking, you fix the sink. You don’t take a
wrecking ball to the entire kitchen. This bill is a wrecking
ball to the entire economy.”
Click Here For Video
Copenhagen Climate Conference
Imagine
you're a well-to-do person attending a dinner of your peers. The
food is top-rate and there's plenty of it. Course after course
is laid upon the table. A group of less-advantaged people has
been watching from the sidelines. When the dinner is done, you
invite them to join you at the table. After the restaurant staff
has served coffee, the bill comes. You and your rich peers
insist that everyone now at the table must share in paying the
entire bill. If that seems unfair, then you have just understood
the position of the delegates from emerging economies, now
negotiating with their wealthier colleagues from the North over
a climate deal at Copenhagen.
The Huffington Post, 12/14/09
When emotions are running high, metaphors inevitably
enter the discussion to convert complex issues into concrete
terms, which are then easier to grasp by anyone.
Glad to Help...
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skills have made public speaking a strong personal asset.....and
frankly, an occasion that provides tremendous personal
satisfaction”
Gary Lineberry, Senior Financial Executive, Horton International
Let me help you make your presentations pay off as well.
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