Today, the latter is wishing it hadn’t. To whit, Tiger Woods 11 saw a 68% drop in sales compared to last year’s game, even though the two reviewed identically. Sales of the Wii version alone declined 86%, which one financial analyst called “particularly catastrophic,” in a note to investors.

“We are concerned that Woods’ scandal woes may have permanently damaged the sales potential of what we believe to be EA’s third most important sports franchise,” the investment banker concluded, “behind Madden and FIFA.”

I take no pleasure in seeing a family publicly torn apart by one member’s selfish actions. But as a businessman, Electronic Arts and Nike should have known better. When your celebrity spokesman falls this hard, you’re foolish for still sending your marketing budget his way. After all, where you paying him for friendship, or increased sales?

If the latter, you should have made a business decision, not a personal one. And if you wanted to help “pick a friend up,” the last thing this one needed was more money, so said support should have happened behind the scenes.

Pretty competent parody of the Old Spice phenom ads. (Thanks, Mark)

Doesn’t get any better than this. :)

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you watch TV, chances are you’ve seen numerous investment commercials for Prudential, ING, Pacific Life, Merill Lynch, Charles Swab and countless others. What you might not have seen is the fine print during all this commercials: “Investment products may lose value” and “Investments involve risk.”

This of course is neatly tucked away at the bottom of the screen while some voice over promises an increase in wealth, a secure future, and guaranteed retirement. It’s yet another reminder that what these people are really selling is speculation.

In other words, know your stuff before playing the game, or stick to what you know if you want to protect and grow your principle.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I can’t speak for everyone, but I’ve never felt overwhelmed by Google results. It’s not information overload if I find what I’m looking forward on the first results page, second at most. It’s almost as if Microsoft is confusing relevance with lack of choice.

I’m all for keeping Google on their toes through competition, but build a better mousetrap if you want to compete.

Although I think BMWs handle better, this Audi commercial entitled “Breaking the spell” is brilliant from a branding perspective. Love it. The black cars are pretty hot too.

“The truth isn’t the truth until people believe you, and they can’t believe you if they don’t know what you’re saying, and they can’t know what you’re saying if they don’t listen to you, and they won’t listen to you if you’re not interesting, and you won’t be interesting unless you say things imaginatively, originally, freshly.”—William Bernbach, famed American copywriter

In sum, to be interesting you have to say things in ways other people don’t—but can still relate to. To be heard, you have to say interesting things as often and in as many places as possible. To be understood, you have to communicate clearly. And to tell the truth, you have to tell the truth, which can be found in everything. For example, Satan is undeniably “the most evil man in the world,” so if you are ever hired by the devil to sell more immorality, brand him as such in a creatively loud way and you’re gold.

I’m a teetotaler. But I can’t stop laughing at The Most Interesting Man in the World, the fictional celebrity endorser for Dos Equis beer (similar to Chuck Norris Facts). As usual, the new ad spots are proof positive that beer advertisers are the funniest in the world.

But I digress. I’m not here to talk about beer ads. I’m here to name the most interesting facts about The Most Interesting Man in the World. They are as follows, according to reputable researchers, top scholars, and his contemporaries:

1. He lives vicariously through himself.
2. He once taught a German shepherd to bark in Spanish.
3. He never says something tastes like chicken – not even chicken.
4. He’s been known to cure narcolepsy, just by walking into a room.
5. He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it feels.
6. His beard alone has experienced more than a lesser man’s entire body.
7. Even his enemies list him as their emergency contact number.
8. He’s a lover, not a fighter, but he’s also a fighter, so don’t get any ideas.
9. When it is raining, it is because he is thinking of something sad.
10. His shirts never wrinkle.
11. He is left-handed. And right-handed.
12. If he were to mail a letter without postage, it would still get there.
13. He has amassed an incredibly large DVD library, and it is said that he never once alphabetized it.
14. You can see his charisma from space.
15. The police often question him, just because they find him interesting.
16. He once punched a magician. That’s right. You heard me.
17. If a monument were built in his honor, Mt. Rushmore would close… due to poor attendance.
18. His blood smells like cologne.
19. His organ donation card also lists his beard.
20. On every continent in the world, there is a sandwich named after him.
21. He doesn’t believe in using oven mitts, nor potholders.
22. His reputation is expanding faster than the universe.
23. His cereal never gets soggy. It sits there, staying crispy, just for him.
24. The pheromones he secretes have been known to affect people miles away, in a slight but measurable way.
25. His hands feel like rich brown suede.
26. He owns three sports cars and rents five.
27. He once taught a horse to read email for him.
28. He once brought in $13 million at a charity bachelor auction, which was a lot of money at the time.
29. Respected archaeologists fight over his discarded apple cores.
30. He is the most interesting man in the world.

In an effort to grow a handful of consumer websites that I publish,  I’m seeking the help of a business manager (independent or otherwise) to hawk ad inventory for me. The biggest property, pictured above, generates 85,000 unique visitors per month and reaches 13,000 RSS subscribers. I also have a handful of other properties I’d like to monetize. If you or someone you know might be able to help, please email blake@griffio.com so we can chew the fat. Thanks! Now back to regularly scheduled programming.