Having dropped the philandering Tiger Woods, Accenture have turned to an elephant, frogs and chameleons to communicate their brand message. Pictures of the creatures in ads, including the surfing elephant above, will continue to use the longstanding tagline “High Performance. Delivered”.
“Battered by the public-relations catastrophe created by the Woods scandal, Accenture is trying to start afresh. At the same time, the new ads have a tone and feel similar to the ones featuring Mr. Woods. The campaign marks Accenture's continued effort to position itself as a company that uses a research-driven approach to help businesses chart a path to success,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
The newspaper commented that the change highlights the risks a company runs in aligning itself so closely with a single individual. “Accenture spent several years and millions of dollars building its brand with a campaign that suddenly turned into fodder for jokes.”
Accenture ended its six-year association with Woods a month ago when news of the golfers numerous alleged extramarital affairs started to surface. The management consultancy said it had not suffered an “economic impact” from the scandal.
Meanwhile, Woods is discovering that slipping often leads to free fall. General Motors has became the latest brand to distance itself from the golfer when it announced it would no longer be supplying him with free vehicles. Associated Press reported GM as saying the agreement had been scheduled to end December 31.
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