GM And Tiger Woods Announce End To Endorsement Deal
DETROIT, MICHIGAN November 24, 2008; General Motors and Tiger Woods announced today that they will conclude their endorsement deal effective December 31, 2008.
Both GM and Woods agreed to a mutual and amicable separation that included a desire for more personal time for the 14-time major winner who is expecting his second child in late winter as well as the search for budget efficiencies during a difficult economy for General Motors. For the past nine years, Woods has endorsed GM products around the world and has been heavily associated with the Buick brand in the US, Canada and China markets.
Mark LaNeve, General Motors North American Vice President of Sales, Service and Marketing said, “Tiger has been a great friend to GM and a fantastic asset through the years helping to bring consumer awareness to many new GM products. In light of the news coming out of Washington,” LaNeve added, “This decision is the result of discussions that started earlier in the year and the timing of this agreement with these other activities is purely coincidental.”
In a statement, Woods commented, “I am very proud of the long standing partnership I’ve had with GM and have enjoyed being a part of the company’s dramatic product evolution. We’ve had a lot of fun together and I participated in some unique and rewarding activities. We’ve enjoyed a tremendous partnership over the years and we will maintain strong ties with the many people at GM we call friends.”
About General Motors:
General Motors Corp., the world’s largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 252,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.