"Looking For A Hero"

The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour is launching its new marketing campaign, "Looking For A Hero." The television spots have a kind of 007/Charlie's Angles look and feel to them which, in my opinion, does not quite come off. The good thing, however, is that women are being spoken of as sporting heroes, a description that has always been used to describe only men.

I do not like any athlete to be called a "hero." A hero is someone who risks her Congressional seat to do the right thing, or someone who dives into the street to save a dog from being hit by a car. But if we are going to call tennis players heroes, it is indeed refreshing to see the word being used to describe women.

The promo photo on the front page of the tour website, which has top players in provocative poses, is a real downer and belongs in the UK's disgusting "Think Pink" campaign. "Super strength, super speed, super cute outfits" is funny if it done tongue-in-cheek, but the photograph indicates otherwise.