Callaway Golf has apologized, issuing a second statement for its role in a promotional video created and posted by the YouTube golf group Good Good which showed, in part, a man knocking over a woman as she reached for a Callaway driver.
The advertisement, which was created by Good Good and approved by Callaway, which is a partner of the group, was deleted on Friday, hours after a groundswell of criticism that the video depicted violence against women perpetrated by a man.
A 15-second clip of the larger 60-second spot, dubbed "The Driver," circulated widely online, even after it was initally deleted, as it was downloaded off social services. In that clip, Good Good member Garrett Clark is seen pushing fellow female member Alexis Miestowski to the ground when she reaches toward a Callaway driver in Clark's bag. After Miestowski hits the ground, she grins and grimaces, and Clark stands over her on he ground saying, "Do not touch my new driver."
The video, created by Good Good Studios, was an attempt at creating a parody of the action and/or horror film genres to promote the new product. However, online reaction was swift, with many women commenting that the video was scary and seemed to endorse violence against women. As more people viewed the ad, more anger was directed at both Good Good and Callaway Golf, including threats of a brand boycott.
Good Good, which currently consists of eight men and four women, issued an apology for the video on Aug. 22, saying:
"We posted a video to our channels that ultimately depicted actions that are not aligned with our values as a brand. We have since taken that content down, and sincerely apologize. Good Good has always stood for making the game of golf more inclusive to all, and we will continue to ensure that is our mission moving forward."
The group, which was formed in 2020 on YouTube, has grown into prominence, with a clothing line, apparel, tournaments and made-for-TV competitions.
Callaway Golf initially reacted to the posted Good Good apology, saying, "We are disappointed by the content that was posted, and are appreciative of Good Good for addressing this. We look forward to working together to ensure a more inclusive space in golf."
Good Good is also the title sponsor of a new PGA Tour event, the Good Good Championship, set to be played Nov. 12-15 in Austin, Texas at the Omni Barton Creek Resort. The PGA Tour issued a statement in response to the video, saying, "The PGA Tour believes in golf's ability to bring people together and create a welcoming environment for all. We do not condone violence in any form, and the since-deleted video does not reflect our values or commitment to inclusivity and respect."
However, the online backlash continued well through the weekend, and that led to Callaway Golf CEO Chip Brewer issuing a personal apology through the company's online channels at approximately 10 p.m. Pacific on Aug. 24. The statement reads:
"To our customers, employees, shareholders and golfers everywhere:
"Last week, Good Good Golf and Callaway posted a video to promote a co-branded driver. While the video was produced by Good Good, it was approved by Callaway prior to posting. That approval should never have happened. Mistakes were made, and we are taking the matter very seriously.
"As we deal with the consequences of our mistake and complete our investigations, I want to make it clear that we sincerely apologize for the video. The content was inappropriate and does not reflect our values. We are unequivocally against discrimination, domestic violence, or threatening behavior of any kind.
"As soon as we recognized the seriousness of the issue, it was escalated appropriately, and the video was immediately removed. Preliminary statements were issued by Good Good and Callaway, and now this statement has followed. We are also conducting both internal and external investigations and have already made changes to our approval processes aimed at ensuring this will never happen again.
"We believe we have been a positive force for diversity and inclusion in the game of golf. This video was completely inconsistent with that. I assure you that we will learn from this and do better."
