Golf brand Callaway has issued an apology for a video ad created by the YouTube channel Good Good Golf to promote a co-branded driver. The ad, which depicted a golfer pushing a woman to the ground, was approved by Callaway prior to its posting.
Chip Brewer, CEO of Callaway Golf, stated on social media that the approval of the video was a mistake. "Mistakes were made, and we are taking the matter very seriously," Brewer said in a statement. "The content was inappropriate and does not reflect our values. To be clear: We are unequivocally against discrimination, domestic violence, or threatening behavior of any kind."
The video, shared last week, showed a woman on a golf course reaching for a new Quantum Max Good Good Driver when Good Good Golf co-founder Garrett Clark pushed her down and instructed her not to touch it. The ad sparked outrage among social media users.
Good Good Golf removed the video and posted its own apology on Saturday. Matt Kendrick, co-founder and CEO of Good Good Golf, told The Wall Street Journal that the ad was intended as a parody of the horror movie "Obsession." Kendrick acknowledged the mistake, stating that the company should have had better processes in place and that the execution missed the mark.
Good Good Golf indicated its intention to donate any proceeds from the driver's campaign to a women's organization, though a specific charity had not yet been chosen. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).