Have we seen the official response from W+K or perhaps a web/viral company on behalf of their Beaverton clients? Check out www.howdiditgoin.com?
And I quote:
My name is Jeff Stone and I'm currently a physics PH.D. student at the University of Kenton. I'm writing my thesis on Tiger Woods' remarkable shot on the back 9 at Augusta. My theory, in brief, postulates there is no physical evidence supporting the myth that his shot went in without assistance. That being said, within my theory there are many sub-theories, which can be viewed on this site. Thank you.
Riiiiiiiiight.
I'd be impressed with Jeff's epiphany to dedicate his thesis on the back 9 if only the University of Kenton were real.
Look, this site is just too well put together to be genuinely authentic. That's instantly obvious.
The fact you can download these movies (is a practice Nike has used before) is a telegraph of an intention for these movies to be blogged and sent around. That's not a bad thing btw...it's a good thing (just a bit obvious this time)
P.S. The spots are very close to 30-seconds in length which I'm sure ain't coincidence.
If my not-for-profit attempt ran the risk of rights issues, this (if it were not officially sanctioned) would be the invariable Pandora's Box with clips from Superman, the Simpsons, Independence Day etc.
Update 4/25: As Jack Barse points out, the commentary is not just different, but it's also been re-recorded by Lundquist himself, "Tiger Woods with the chip....he gets perfect execution...and then he gets an extra revolution."
"But what did you really think of it, Joe?" Thanks for asking. It's cute in a once-is-witty; twice-is-shitty sort of way. A bit repetitive which essentially means I lost interest after the 2nd or 3rd cloned attempt. Same clip with 5 seconds added in every time.
My main concern is the same that a marketer should be thinking about when consumers join the brand conversation - is it on brand? is it on strategy? Associating Nike naturally with an unedited, pure, sublime and extraordinary aspirational moment? Priceless; Associating Nike with Farts, Poops, Baked and Blowhard movie moments? Confusing at best. Detrimental at worst.
Perhaps the brand is allowed some slack to be a little light-hearted and irreverent from time to time. I don't know that I'm believing it though.
Will people come? Probably. I'm blogging it right now and no doubt many others will too. Will they linger? Not so much. But what if the REAL goal is to encourage consumers to create a plethora of "Star Wars kid-like" interpretations of what really happened and how it did really go in? That would be cool and it would be rather genius if it happens.
Let's see what happens (Nikeguy, where are you buddy?) Time for the real Nike marketing folk to stand up and either publically acknowledge this or deny it. Methinks their silence might linger for a while longer.
Update 4/26: As reported on ESPN.com, Nike will release their 30-second response in the form of an esoteric golf-centric message:
"We gave you a wedge with more feel. You showed us what it could do."
"We gave you a ball with more control. And you didn't center the logo?"
The spot will run predominently on cable (Golf Channel) and golf-specific programming.
(sigh)
