Henry hands Gillette a headache
ANY hopes Gillette bosses had of a quiet Thursday morning were well and truly shattered in one sensational moment of sporting drama in Paris last night.
Thierry Henry, one of the clean-cut (pardon the pun!) iconic faces of the shaving giant’s global advertising campaign caressed the ball with his left hand not once but twice before crossing the ball for a team mate to score.
The goal has sent France to the World Cup finals in South Africa next year and the Republic of Ireland tumbling out – but Thierry Henry was not celebrating because he knew he had just carried out a life-changing action.
In short, after years spent developing an ambasadorial reputation of to be envied, he lost it all in one moment of pure and simple cheating.
Am I over-reacting? I don’t think so.
Just ask a little mercurial genius (well, he’s slightly larger these days) called Diego Maradona – the greatest footballer in history whose Hand of God is still used as the supreme example of cheating in sport 23 years after it happened.
The Hand of God moment was instantly used by commentators watching last night’s game as a comparison – that really was how bad it was, and how bad a message it sent a global audience of millions – many of whom (young and old) adore Thierry Henry.
Last night, Henry lost his iconic image and Gillette know that cheating does not sit with with their brand reputation and message. The advertiser’s dream had just become the advertiser’s nightmare.
