Gross Public Relations
Here we go again. As I wrote a few months back, sponsors are certainly showing a lack of bottle when it comes to sponsoring athletes. My latest (mild) outrage is hinged to the press releases dropping of Wayne Rooney by Coca-Cola as ‘spokesperson’ for the brand. To some degree, maybe I can understand why: the kid is a ticking time-bomb and you never know what’s next, but it’s the timing I find strange.
As early as 2010, Mr. Rooney was hit with a major scandal when he was caught shacking up with a local ‘lady of the night’. He followed up with the quote: “My life is in ruins…I’ve been so stupid. Coleen won’t forgive me this time. She will leave me.” The key statement here is “this time”. This is a chap who has been in the spotlight with many troubles and points of ‘interest’ over the years; so I ask why Coca-Cola, why release these press releases now? Why have you done this on the back of a swearing incident outrage? Are you suggesting that swearing is worse than spending time with prostitutes and cheating on your pregnant wife? Or is Coca-Cola using this incident to highlight their Olympic involvement and distance from Rooney?
Like I said, maybe Coca-Cola saw the writing on the wall, but ultimately they have known for a while that Mr. Rooney is not the cleanest of characters. But I find it a bit sickening that they decided to release this press release now, somehow showing their ‘holier than thou’ attitude.