Tour News
Golf marketing musings: Dick Fowler, P.I.
When I’m not writing things for GolfWRX, I am working for an ad agency in Myrtle Beach that represents a number of area golf courses. So the confluence of advertising and golf is, you could say, of interest to me.
Please don’t mistake me for one of those sold-out marketing types who loves to tell everyone, “When I watch TV, I pay more attention to the commercials than the actual show!” Those people have an unnecessary Don Draper complex. But it is good to see commercial breaks during golf telecasts becoming a bit more palatable.
Over the years, there’s been a relative paucity of truly intriguing golf-related advertising campaigns. Most have been safe and relatively conservative, which is no surprise, given the game’s main demographic distribution.
But as streaks of trendiness have crept into the industry in the last few years, a number of brands—not just golf companies, mind you—have waded into choppier waters with regard to golf and have churned out some pretty entertaining ads as a result.
The latest of those ad campaigns has surfaced this week. Farmer’s Insurance, via Santa Monica, California-based ad agency RPA, has transformed Southern Californian fun-loving PGA Tour player Rickie Fowler into Dick Fowler, P.I. This alter-Fowler sniffs out crimes against proper golf etiquette and subjects the perpetrators to punishments that very deftly walk the line between the absurd and the humiliating. See what I mean below:
[youtube id=”MXU7P5Vci5U” width=”620″ height=”360″]
[youtube id=”4bv3OwQyFmM” width=”620″ height=”360″]
The ads blend Caddyshack-style camp and Starsky and Hutch-style crime movie parody quite well. The low level of general seriousness of the ads helps, too—their willingness to make fun of their relatively mundane (though undoubtedly important) product courts the audience’s trust very effectively.
Farmers has bought into an emerging trend in advertising whereby brands focus more on creating interesting (in this case, amusing) content than hammering the viewer with explicit messaging about their product. These two videos are not going to educate you as to why Farmers Insurance is better than, say, State Farm’s (which also has some pretty decent ads, courtesy of DDB Chicago).
At best, you may smirk at the memory of Dick Fowler, P.I. if and when you do decide to make a change in your insurers. Farmers’ more mainstream “Farmers University” campaign, starring J.K. Simmons, carry the same sort of light-hearted perspective. You can almost time the beginning of the subtly self-deprecating “We are Farmers, Bum-ba-dum-bum-bum-bum-bum” jingle at the end, which is a mark of a successful ad.
There is still room for improvement on the PGA Tour player-orbiting ad campaign front. As interesting a post-round interview as Jim Furyk can be, the ads Five Hour Energy puts him in are painfully dull. And it has nothing to do with his status as a forty-something juxtaposed with Rickie Fowler’s youth — both Mitsubishi air conditioning and Avis car rental have some nice spots running that have Fred Funk and Steve Stricker, respectively, in slyly amusing roles. Agencies Ames Scullin O’Haire (Atlanta-based) and Leo Burnett (Chicago-based) are to thank for those campaigns.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.
We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.
We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.
Check out links to all our photos, below.
General Albums
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #2
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Justin Thomas – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Rose – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Nick Dunlap – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Thomas Detry – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Austin Eckroat – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Jason Day – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Will Zalatoris – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Ludvig Aberg – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Collin Morikawa – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Sam Burns – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Stephen Jaeger – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
Pullout Albums
- Wyndham Clark’s Odyssey putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- JT’s new Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Thomas testing new Titleist 2 wood – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey putter with triple track alignment aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Scotty Cameron The Blk Box putting alignment aid/training aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey Ai One Eleven T putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Christian Bezuidenhout – testing new Callaway Ti 340 mini driver – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele testing the Callaway Ti 340 mini driver & the DUW – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Byeong Hun An, two new L.A.B. Golf putter builds with “T” alignment – 2024 RBC Heritage
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Valero Texas Open
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Valero Texas Open.
The event has been around since 1922, making it one of the oldest on the PGA Tour calendar. Over the years, it’s been held at a variety of courses across the Lone Star State, but it’s found its home at TPC San Antonio in recent years. Some of the biggest names in golf have taken home the title here, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, and Ben Crenshaw.
GolfWRX has its usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs and special pull-out albums. As always, we’ll continue to update the links below as more photos come in from TPC San Antonio.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Ben Taylor – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Paul Barjon – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Joe Sullivan – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Wilson Furr – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Willman – SoTex PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Jimmy Stanger – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Rickie Fowler – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Harrison Endycott – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Vince Whaley – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Kevin Chappell – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Christian Bezuidenhout – WITB (mini) – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Scott Gutschewski – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
Pullout Albums
- Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Taylor with new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Swag cover – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Greyson Sigg’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Davis Riley’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Josh Teater’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hzrdus T1100 is back – – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Mark Hubbard testing ported Titleist irons – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Tyson Alexander testing new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Cobra putters – 2024 Valero Texas Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tim Gavrich
Sep 3, 2013 at 10:40 pm
Thanks for all the comments, all. I certainly understand the bristling at all the name-dropping of ad agencies who created the spots I refer to in the piece, but I kind of see it as analogous to mentioning the writer of a song or painter of a painting. Just giving the credit where it’s due. Lots of people like to just see the paintings when they visit a museum – totally cool with me.
Steve, I do agree, looking back, that I could’ve taken a bit stronger position in summing the article up. But I think I’m okay with leaving it a bit open-ended. In truth, I just want to not be bored to tears or, worse, appalled by the low quality of what I see during commercial breaks. Farmers, Avis and Mitsubishi seem to get it. Five Hour Energy…not quite as much.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, all.
–Tim
8thehardway
Sep 1, 2013 at 11:18 pm
GREAT article… tight, upbeat and deftly executed, as enjoyable and well-crafted as the Dick Fowler ads.
Maybe an unnecessary FYI: the ’emerging trend’ of replacing explicit messaging with interesting content was satirized in a Seinfeld episode (The Airport, 1992) where the subject of an ad, a pair of jeans, supposedly appeared in the corner of a messy room.
Thanks for such a delightful and informative read.
Steve
Aug 31, 2013 at 8:23 pm
Well written article, and amusing clips = but I am not sure the piece is finished. The writer seems to be building a case for something – either he doesn’t like the new breed of marketing, (or he does)…. but it seems like the article is cut short – that the rest of the piece is missing or something..
So does he want more campy stuff, or go back to 50’s style ads (aka the old Turtle Wax ads back in the day), or what?
vic
Aug 31, 2013 at 11:05 am
thanking an ad agency is about the last thing i’d want to do. EVER.
bill
Aug 30, 2013 at 2:56 am
Wow, to check in for my routine updates on world wide golf only to see myself appearing in this spot with Ricky was quite a surprise. That’s me about to take a hack at it before being interrupted by the yapper!! Ricky could not have been more fun to work with that day in LA. Brookside Golf Course to be exact. He even signed a brand spankin’ new PUMA cap for me! Great day indeed!!
Brand Me Silly
Aug 29, 2013 at 6:46 pm
I’m surprised the word “synergy” or “cohesive” wasn’t used, but the author did get in “juxtapose” and “confluence”… Mad men ad men are predictable in their creativity. I really liked the name dropping of ad agency studs that 99.9% of the population has no idea who they are. Don Draper and David Ogilvy approved this message.
Ronald Montesano
Aug 29, 2013 at 6:28 pm
Irony…Fowler makes a guy eat a divot, then tears up the fairway with his dirt bike. Love his Sancho Panza sidekick.
Bryan Cromlish
Aug 29, 2013 at 1:55 pm
I loved these ads, our whole office did.
I can’t say it enough how much I think Ricky is good for the game of golf. He is leading the charge to make golf cool to the younger generation. I’ve heard people who dislike him or “The Golf Boys” and how they are pulling away from traditional golf. As long as there is a balance, I believe these guys are helping the game evolve.
He’s not the worst actor haha!
Anonoymous
Aug 29, 2013 at 11:49 am
shut up johnny.
Johnny 36
Aug 29, 2013 at 3:32 pm
Well put, Anonymous.
Great stuff!
Johnny Kilroy
Aug 29, 2013 at 11:29 am
Is this really news worthy stuff for WRX? I know you guys are trying to find more writers, but outside of tournament coverage, content has been lacking. This isn’t as bad as the twitter piece earlier this week, but throw me a freakin bone here man…I want to know more about players, the tour and the game, not marketing campaigns.
Checkout The Forums
Aug 30, 2013 at 7:43 pm
“I want to know more about the players, the tour, and the game” ——That’s what the forums are for. Click that button at the top right labeled “FORUMS”. You’ll just have to filter the content between rumors and facts yourself.
John
Sep 1, 2013 at 1:17 am
Wrong. What forums are for is garbage like this, in fact there is already a thread with this very same information. This isn’t news…this is highlighting a Rickie Fowler commercial. News articles should be newsworthy. This clearly isn’t, no matter how much you like Rickie.
Johnny Kilroy Sr.
Sep 1, 2013 at 6:45 pm
If the content is lacking, apply to become a writer and change the content, or STFU and GTFO.
Johnny Kilroy
Sep 2, 2013 at 2:06 pm
This is the means by which we affect change Einstein…through a critique of the article. Which is dead in point. Except for the three of you Rickie fans, no one else bothered to read this piece of junk. Why? Because it’s a poorly written meaningless article about golf advertising. Regardless of how much you love Rickie, it doesn’t change that fact.
That you can’t figure that out says a lot about you, and that’s not a good thing buddy.
Caroline Chisanga
Aug 29, 2013 at 11:12 am
WOW! I have loved following Ricky Fowler already just because of his fun outlook on life in general, but this just took it to an entirely NEW level!!