The Michael Phelps saga continues to surprise. After cereal and snack marketer Kellogg's said it would not resign the Olympic hero as an endorser due to his now infamous bong photo, some speculated fellow sponsor Subway would follow suit.
Surprise. After days of silence, Subway said Friday night it was supporting the Olympic swimming star.
"Like most Americans, and like Michael Phelps himself, we were disappointed in his behavior," Subway said in a statement. "Also like most Americans, we accept his apology. Moving forward, he remains in our plans."
Political campaigns and corporate marketers often wait until Friday night to release bad news. But in this case, Subway waited till the end of the week to support the Olympic swimmer.
But wait, it's not over yet. AdAge.com reported Friday that Subway was likely to "backburner" its first TV campaign starring Phelps.
What happens next? The swimmer is now giving interviews taking responsibility for his actions, expressing regret and promising to never, ever do it again.
That's the first step in Crisis PR 101. Look for Phelps and his agents to make good on his promises through speeches, public service announcements and the like. Stay tuned.--Michael McCarthy, USA TODAY
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