Baton Rouge Marketing Strategy: A Lesson From Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer won his last major in 1964; however as he became a legend in the game that was developed in 1574 at St. Andrews in Scotland, this young man from Latrobe, Pennsylvania captured the nation’s attention and took golf by storm in the late 1950’s. Over 60 years later his undeniable brand, infectious smile, and enchanting stories have been a staple at every golf course, in every pro shop, and during every golf tournament. Palmer claimed 95 professional wins including:
- 4 Masters
- 1 U.S. Open
- 2 British Opens
- 3 PGA Championships
As a young, ignorant, amateur golfer I immediately had a great respect for “The King”. I also learned that my grandmother was a proud member of “Arnie’s Army” in the 1960’s. This story and the corresponding autograph on a cocktail napkin fueled my desire to emulate his trademark swing as I awkwardly swung my grandfather’s golf clubs.
While the cultural significance and championships defined him as an athlete, I believe that one (of the many) important lessons Mr. Palmer left us with is how he used his expertise and influence to transcend 6 decades and countless generations to come.
He was the PGA Tour Money Leader in 1958. He won the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009. He was Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year in 1960 (the 4th ever honor). He won the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004. And don’t forget about Bay Hill every March, one of the PGA’s signature events in the sunshine state. This event has summoned Tiger Woods back from injury and other golfers out of retirement; all to play in Mr. Palmer’s tournament. It would also be a tremendous oversight if I didn’t mention lemonade…and iced tea. Yes the world’s most refreshing drink simply known as an “Arnold Palmer”. It was even immortalized in an ESPN SportsCenter commercial.
While the lessons and legends go on and on, one tip we can take from The King is how to establish ideas and adapt to new changes. In a career that spanned over 60 years, in a game that he mastered and became the greatest ambassador for, Palmer created, witnessed, and grew with an immense amount of evolution. Everything from compensation (as the tour’s top earner in 1958, he won $42,607.50, compared to Dustin Johnson who won $9,365,185 this year), to equipment, to course design has been completely revolutionized.
It’s easy to make these numbers and lessons parallel to business and marketing. He was as brilliant a business man as he was a golfer. In fact, just last year Forbe’s ranked him has the 3rd highest earning retired athlete (only behind Michael Jordan and David Beckham) with his ventures that include clothing (his signature umbrella logo), cars, and beverages (as mentioned earlier).
Whether you’ve done the same thing the same way, or you’re constantly changing strategies, having the ability to be successful while learning when and how to evolve is an invaluable trait. That is just one of the many things that Mr. Palmer displayed, on and off of the course.
