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Report: General Motors no longer provides Tiger Woods with free cars

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:29:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Buick, Cadillac, Celebrities, Luxury

Tiger Woods GM-owned Cadillac Escalade, post crash - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to a report from USA Today, Tiger Woods no longer gets free cars from General Motors. No worries, we're pretty sure Tiger can afford to pay for his own ride anyway.

The news, attributed to Buick spokesperson Dayna Hart, comes as a number of companies like Tag Heuer and Accenture have canceled advertising contracts with the star golfer. GM, though, indicates that the free car agreement was scheduled to end on December 31st and therefore isn't necessarily a result of Woods' November 27 accident outside his Florida home that led to his admission of marital infidelity.

Woods hasn't been a spokesperson for GM since the golfer's contract ended in 2008, but the automaker had reportedly agreed to let Woods keep his Buick and Cadillac vehicles for an additional year. As previously reported, the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Woods was driving will be repaired and sold.

Gallery: Tiger Woods GM-owned Cadillac Escalade

[Source: USA Today via San Francisco Chronicle]

Report: General Motors no longer provides Tiger Woods with free cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tiger Woods' Escalade owned by GM, will be fixed and eventually sold

Michael Harley — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:54:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Cadillac, Celebrities

Tiger Woods GM-owned Cadillac Escalade, post crash - Click above for high-res image gallery

The world's most infamous 2009 Cadillac Escalade, the one Tiger Woods drove into a hydrant and then a tree early in the morning of November 27, is heading to the body shop for repairs. Interestingly enough, the Escalade isn't owned by Tiger Woods - it's part of GM's promotional fleet. After the golfer's deal with Buick ended last year, Tiger made a deal with the automaker to keep a few cars for his personal use. His choices included a Buick Enclave and Cadillac Escalade... the black SUV that is now sporting a mangled front end and missing a couple rear windows.

As it's a promotional/marketing vehicle, the SUV goes back to GM for the automaker to decide its fate. Depending on the severity of the repairs, it may head back into the loaner fleet... or it may be replaced by a new vehicle. If it is replaced, the now-repaired Escalade will be pulled from rotation and sent to auction where it goes to the highest bidder. Of course, we can only imagine what the Cadillac would bring on eBay in its current shattered state.

Gallery: Tiger Woods GM-owned Cadillac Escalade

[Source: Drive On, Photos: Florida Highway Patrol]

Tiger Woods' Escalade owned by GM, will be fixed and eventually sold originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tough Times: GM ends endorsement deal with Tiger Woods

John Neff — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, GM

Celebrity endorsements are a powerful thing. For instance, when you see someone wearing a set of fly Nike high tops, Michael Jordan invariably comes to mind. And when you see a Buick Rendezvous roll by, no doubt an image of Tiger Woods is conjured. Alright, so maybe the greatest golfer ever got the short end of that 9 iron, but it doesn't matter much anymore as General Motors has announced that its ending Buick's nine-year endorsement deal with Tiger Woods effective December 31, 2008. GM says the decision to separate was amicable and mutual (they always say that). For his part, Tiger has a second cub on the way and GM, well... GM would rather keep its assembly plants open a few extra days than pay an athlete to stand next to a Buick Lacrosse. Smart choice, we'd say. And now, when Congress asks Rick Wagoner for examples of how GM is sacrificing during these tough economic times, he can tell them, "We fired Tiger Woods!". You check out GM's official Dear John letter to Tiger after the jump.

[Source: GM, Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading Tough Times: GM ends endorsement deal with Tiger Woods

Tough Times: GM ends endorsement deal with Tiger Woods originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick rethinking Tiger Woods endorsement contract

Chris Shunk — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:57:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Buick, GM

Tiger Woods has been a Buick spokesman since 1999, but both General Motors and the greatest golfer of all time are in a holding pattern regarding a new endorsement contract. Tiger's current deal, which expires in 2009, was reportedly for $40 million over five years. Though getting Tiger was a coup for Buick, many wonder why GM would give the world's most popular athlete to its low volume Buick brand instead of Cadillac or even use him across multiple marques.

Both GM and Tiger are taking a wait-and-see approach towards negotiations on a new contract, with both sides having met once and agreed only on when they should meet a second time. The automotive landscape is tenuous at best, and GM is taking a major hit on the sales floor and on Wall St., which could make retaining Mr. Woods more difficult. We're pretty sure Tiger will end up hocking cars for one automaker or another, so the General better find some funds fast if it doesn't want to lose the 14-time majors champion to another brand.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Buick rethinking Tiger Woods endorsement contract originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Car company sponsorships "clicking" with golfers

Chris Shunk — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:35:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Buick, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz

Golf can be a very expensive and exhaustingly difficult sport to play, but watching the pros makes hitting the dimpled little ball seem like child's play. Pro golfers can have the same effect on the car buying process, as a recent study by Compete.com shows that web traffic for three sponsors of The Masters are getting a huge spike in site traffic in advance of the event. Mercedes, Cadillac, and Buick are pouring money into golf, and at least online the strategy is paying off. This is especially true for Buick, which has the one and only Tiger Woods as its pitchman.

Golf lovers are five times more likely to visit a Buick website than the average consumer and two to three times more likely to visit a Mercedes or Cadillac site. We're no marketing experts, but if those numbers hold up, that's an impressive return for the automakers marketing dollar. It'll be interesting to see if the up-tick in online interest will spur sales for Buick, Mercedes, and Cadillac in the month of April. The chart above shows web traffic in the months before The Masters, which begins April 10. Thanks for the tip, Eric!

[Source: Compete]

Car company sponsorships "clicking" with golfers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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$100K for a Tiger Woods-used Enclave? Seriously?

Alex Nunez — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Crossover, Buick, Celebrities

Click image for a gallery of the Enclave used by Tiger Woods

In January, EA Sports held an online contest for Tiger Woods 08 players on the XBOX 360. First prize was a 2008 Buick Enclave CXL courtesy car used by Tiger during December's 2007 Target World Challenge golf tournament. Tiger won the tournament, finishing seven strokes ahead of '07 Masters champ Zach Johnson. Well, the contest is over and the winner has apparently taken delivery of the Buick, which came complete with a certificate of authenticity signed by Tiger himself. This might well be the only Buick Enclave in circulation that's Upper Deck authenticated.

Naturally, the car's new owner is looking to see if the Tiger connection is something that can be capitalized on, and the ride has been listed on eBay. Fully loaded, finished in Cocoa Metallic over Cocoa Cashmere, and showing just 220 miles on the clock, it's a really nice vehicle. As for the $100,000 Buy It Now price, well, that's ridiculous even with its certified, touched-by-Tiger history. According to the auction listing, eleven people have made offers, but there's no telling if they're anywhere near the asking price. We can't imagine they would be. Our advice: exercise some patience. Garage the Enclave, put the certificate of authenticity in a safe, and offer the whole package at Barrett-Jackson in January. As if by magic, a mundane, dealer-supplied courtesy vehicle becomes a "celebrity car". In B-J's massively hyped, more-money-than-sense environment, a hundred grand seems entirely feasible. Do we hear two hundred? Thanks for the tip, Steve.

Gallery: Buick Enclave touched by Tiger

[Source: eBay]

$100K for a Tiger Woods-used Enclave? Seriously? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Who's your caddy? Buick offering Tiger Woods for a day

Michael Harley — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:06:00 EST

Filed under: Buick, Celebrities

Our favorite 32-year-old Buick ambassador, Tiger Woods, wants to carry your clubs. That's right, the world's greatest golfer wants to be your caddy. The humbling act is all part of Buick's new "Tee-Off with Tiger" online contest kicking off today.

Each time Woods plays a PGA tournament, entrants will attempt to guess his score for each of four 18-hole rounds. The person who guesses closest will win his actual tournament Buick (it will be slightly used, as Tiger will have put a few miles on it between the hotel and the greens - let's just hope his cleats were clean) for that event. At the end of the season, the top 10 closest entrants from each tournament will be placed in a pool, and a single winner will be chosen for the Grand Prize. The lucky individual, and a companion, will enjoy coach class airfare to La Jolla, California to play at Torrey Pines where Woods will serve as a personal caddy for nine holes.

You have to be 18 years of age and hold a valid driver's license to enter, though you need not possess any golf skills. Says Tiger, "I'm looking forward to sharing some golf tips, maybe a few jokes and certainly a lot of laughs." Nevertheless, we're sure by day's end the greatest golfer of all time (yeah, we said it) will tire of hearing the word "mulligan" and watching plumes of sand erupt from the traps.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Who's your caddy? Buick offering Tiger Woods for a day

Who's your caddy? Buick offering Tiger Woods for a day originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick demotes Tiger Woods, OnStar picks him up

John Neff — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Buick

Man, we really feel for Tiger Woods. Just three days after the birth of his first child, Sam Alexis Woods, the guy basically gets canned by Buick as their numero uno spokesperson. Seriously, how's a guy that swings a club for a living going to support a family without endorsements like Buick's? Sure, he's still got the Nike account, but all babies do are eat, sleep and poop, the latter of which requires diapers, which are hella expensive.

Buick says it wants to focus attention back on its product (really?), so while Woods will still appear in some advertisements, he won't be used solely to divert one's attention from the product anymore. General Motors has a heart though, so they've thrown the kid a bone and offered young Woods a stint endorsing OnStar. We'll likely see him appear in more of those celebrity-laden commercials with Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Kimmel, Kelly Rippa and the gang. We wish Tiger all the luck in the world without the deep pockets of Buick behind him anymore.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Buick demotes Tiger Woods, OnStar picks him up originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Jun 2007 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bringing Bling to GM Through Pop Culture

Chris Shunk — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 16:17:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, GM

Click the above image for more shots from the GM Style Event

How many people associate the Chevy Monte Carlo with cool? How about the Buick Rendezvous? GM's doing everything it can to overhaul its lineup with more competitive products like the Saturn Aura and the Chevy Silverado. The battle to change perception that GM's marketers are waging may be a more daunting task then the design and engineering renaissance that the General is in the middle of. Stars like Gwen Stefani and rapper 50 Cent are being used to show that GM has found its "inner Fonzie." Stefani drove a gold Tahoe in one of her latest videos. Jay-Z helped design a special blue paint finish for the new Denali. Want more examples? The GM Style Event on the eve of NAIAS was a celeb-fest, and Tiger Woods, who's been endorsing Buick for years, unveiled the Enclave at the LA auto show last November.

Will America buy GM's push to be cool? We don't know. We are pretty sure, however, that products like the new Camaro, rear-drive Impalas and the forthcoming Pontiac G8 will probably help their case.

[Source: Detroit News]

Bringing Bling to GM Through Pop Culture originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Jan 2007 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Tiger attacks from the sandtrap with a Buick Ranier

Scott Davis — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:35:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Buick, GM

Buick really scored a hole in one when they signed Tiger Woods to be the company spokesperson. Although not exactly the demographic, Buick's historical ties with the PGA make it a great marketing move.

This video starts with Tiger looking for his "lost" wedge. As each group on the tee finds it, he asks if they want to bet on who can hit the ball closest to the hole... for a Buick Rainier. As the foursomes play through, Tiger eventually gives away four of the Buick SUV's to the stunned golfers that beat him.

Buick couldn't have made a better deal than to have Tiger sell their cars. especially with all of the news, both good and bad, recently surrounding him. He continues to win, got married, lost his father and will now become one himself this summer. As Buick works hard to lower the average age of their buyer from the late baby-boomers they currently attract, furthering this relationship should be their ace in the hole.

[Source: YouTube via GM Inside News]

VIDEO: Tiger attacks from the sandtrap with a Buick Ranier originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick admits to teasing us with Tiger vid

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 16:23:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Buick

I guess we can bill this as Update 2. We just showed you the video of Tiger Woods and the new Enclave and speculated that this "hidden cam" vid might be a fake. Not rocket science to figure that out, but until we had confirmation, we didn't want to call BS on GM. Well, they just called BS on themselves.

While the 60-second YouTube clip appeared to be a bootleg, the Buick logo at the end was a big tip-off. According to The Detroit News, Buick spokesman David Darovitz admitted that "the video was shot two weeks ago in Los Angeles to build excitement for the Enclave's world introduction Nov. 28 at the Los Angeles Auto Show."

"We wanted to do something different," Darovitz said. "The idea was to make it look like a video stolen from an advertising shoot. We knew we weren't going to fool anybody. We just wanted to do something different that would create buzz."

With more than 9,500 hits, we'd say mission accomplished. This does show, however, how automakers are getting more creative in their marketing, trying to tap into non-traditional media outlets. Pontiac and Scion are in Second Life, and now Buick has a YouTube viral. We understand that these are two signs of the Apocalypse.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Buick admits to teasing us with Tiger vid originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Nov 2006 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Tiger hearts the Enclave

Alex Nunez — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 15:52:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, Buick

UPDATE 1 - Commenter TheOne442 points out the most obvious confirmation (which your eagle-eyed Autoblog staff missed completely) that it's a Buick viral: the Buick logo that appears over the YouTube logo as the thing ends. Props to Buick for the neat stuff, though.

Taking advantage of a level of security that could be best described as "relaxed," a videographer showing some serious testicular fortitude nonchalantly filmed portions of the upcoming Buick Enclave ad production featuring Tiger Woods, catching the new CUV in its birthday suit. According to Tiger, he's "never seen anything like it on the road." We're not sure about never, but more interesting than Tiger's forced Buick-speak is the sense of humor he shows when a plane buzzes overhead as he prepares to deliver a line.

Our favorite part comes at the end of the video, when someone gets all in the camera operator's face, covering the lens a wee bit too late to do any good.

So, while we love it, we wonder if it's a real "spy" vid or slick viral advertising from the General. For what its worth, the YouTube poster, "tigerstyle" has no other videos uploaded. Also, the camera used to record the action zooms in and out much faster than consumer cans we've used, which leads us to believe it was shot with professional video equipment. Watch, enjoy, and decide for yourselves.

Thanks to tipster "Tiger Smith" for the link.

[Source: YouTube}

VIDEO: Tiger hearts the Enclave originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Nov 2006 15:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tiger Woods to help intro Buick Enclave

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 18:54:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Crossover, Buick

GM's Chairman/CEO Rick Wagoner will join PGA superstar Tiger Woods to unveil the new-for-'08 Buick Enclave at this year's second L.A. Auto Show. Apparently moving the show to a new time slot in December to avoid the January competition with Detroit is already paying off for the L.A. organizers. Bringing Tiger out for this event shows how eager Buick is to get maximum exposure for this all-important new model. We're sure Tiger's going to be happy they didn't wait for the North American International Auto Show to debut it. L.A. in December or Detroit in January? Tough choice.

The Enclave should look a lot like the concept shown in Detroit last January, but will mark the debut of GM's new Lambda platform. The Lambdas will eventually replace the U-Body minivans with their front- or all-wheel-drive platform and 2+2+2 seating. Initially a 270-hp V-6 mated to a 6-speed automatic will be offered, but a V-8 should arrive somewhere down the road as well. That V-8 will undoubtedly be identified by the four (or is that fore?) ventiport styling touch Buick is becoming known for.

The Enclave should also feature a more upscale interior befitting Buick's position in the GM lineup. The first Lambda full-size CUV to be unveiled was the Saturn Outlook at the 2006 New York Auto Show, and it will beat the Enclave into showrooms when it goes on sale next Spring, followed by the Enclave and GMC's Acadia. The Enclave will replace the awkward looking and slow-moving Rendezvous.

[Source: GM]

Tiger Woods to help intro Buick Enclave originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Sep 2006 18:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick auction includes a round with Tiger Woods

Erin Mays — Fri, 05 May 2006 19:06:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Etc., Buick

If you've been dreaming of playing a round of golf with Tiger Woods, look no further... An auction benefiting Buick Open charities is offering up the opportunity to bid on the chance to hit the links with the legendary linksmeister.

Also up for bid are an autographed golf bag used by Tiger during the season, an all-expenses paid trip to L.A. to take part in a clinic proctored by Tiger himself, and two VIP passes to the Daytona 500 (if you get these, please remember your favorite contributors over at Autoblog).

Check your schedules -- the Buick open is July 31 through August 6.

[Source: The Flint Journal]

Buick auction includes a round with Tiger Woods originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 May 2006 19:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tiger Woods set to roll around in the dirt with Kiwis

Chris Paukert — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 18:05:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Buick

Tiger Woods is used to long, commanding drives-- in fact, one could say he's made a habit of them. But the PGA's biggest star is set to trade in his golf clubs for a dirt oval stock car -- and in New Zealand, of all places.

The Buick spokesman will dice it up with other celebrities (including professional racers and his own caddy, in a 12-lap charity race where bumping and grinding is apparently the order of the day.

Tiger will suit up and strap in next Monday at Huntly Placemakers Speedway, and the race will raise money for the Steve Williams Foundation, an organization that helps give impoverished youth the opportunity to pursue their sporting joneses.

[Sources: Seven.com.au; Buick]

Tiger Woods set to roll around in the dirt with Kiwis originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Apr 2006 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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