Sucker Punch

You ever feel like it's Groundhog Day?

Courtesy of Hublot

So it seems that memories are short, and the desire for publicity has once again exceeded the bounds of good taste and common sense.

Now I believe in second chances, and I believe in forgiveness.  But I also believe that from a public relations perspective, Hublot is sending a pretty clear message.  Mr. Mayweather is, indeed, a fine boxer.  He is also a polarizing figure among the sporting world and (if I am honest), among those of us who write about watches when he keeps being brought back by Hublot as a brand ambassador.  And it seems that the controversy is stirred up again thanks to some statements made by his would be opponent in the upcoming fight -

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/boxing/mayweather-mcgregor/floyd-mayweather-domestic-violence-conor-mcgregor-cj-watson-josie-harris-statement-a7865896.html

Again, I believe in forgiveness, and I believe in redemption.  But I also believe in brand ambassadors that do not alienate such a large group of people.

So I want to make a proposal, and I hope that Mr. Guadalupe and his boss Mr. Biver are reading this -

Donate a substantial amount of money to a shelter for battered women.  It might help sooth the less-than-pleasant memories of your previous and current partnership with a man who has been cited for domestic violence and assault in the past. 

I absolutely get and understand that business is business.  But maybe it is time to look for partnerships that might actually help you convey a more "warm and fuzzy" image to the buying public?

Or, you can continue to offer "entertainment" in the form of grown men beating the shit out of each other so rich people can eat and drink too much and enjoy a modern day gladiator spectacle.

The choice is yours.

And in the interest of letting you, the reader, make your own call, I leave you with the bon mots of Hublot's CEO -

Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, shared: “Once again, we have the great honor to partner with a true living legend, Floyd Mayweather, ‘The Best Ever,’ for what is sure to be the ‘Fight of the Millennium.’ In line with Hublot’s ‘First, Different, Unique’ brand ethos, Mayweather previously never had a brand adorn his boxing shorts until our ‘knockout’ partnership in 2015. I am thrilled to partner with him again in the same way. We look forward to the match this weekend and hope for a repeat performance of 2015, cementing his undefeated record! The collaboration continues the brand’s long history in support of the noble art of boxing and celebrating the Legend of the Legends.”