star power, mojo and the bottom line

tiger woods won another tourney this past weekend. i know, not at all surprising. what is remarkable is the immediate and significant impact stars like tiger have on stimulating consumer interest and/or spending. according to nielsen media research and nbc tv, the overnight numbers turned in by tiger’s latest win were the highest rating of any golf tournament since the u.s. open in june (which woods won in a playoff). despite what you might expect to see, the rating was up 23 percent from last year. tiger wasn’t the only star pulling consumers out of hibernation – read on for my thoughts on star power, mojo and the bottom line.

last week, i highlighted prince’s performances on the tonight show – where you could feel the mojo pouring from your tv. on sunday at 8am,  i showed up at a local target (prince’s exclusive distribution partner for his record) to see where the demand would be for him. sure enough, there were three dozen people who camped out overnight in anticipation of the real deal.

do you really think it takes a superstar to loosen up the purse strings? i don’t. i think it’s all in your attitude, the energy and enthusiasm you bring to your work and the perception of value that you feed. people talk about how amazing tiger’s performances are (and they are). i’m just as impressed with how he celebrates the wins, how the flash bulbs are going off like mad – the whole things is a spectacle. The commentator has it right when he says “tiger has a flair for the dramatic” and “it’s sheer magic – fun to watch.” pretend this isn’t golf and it’s your business. be like tiger.