Not since the Lexus recall - after their highly-publicized launch - has a brand done so much to inspire consumers’ confidence. The brand I’m talking about is Ed Hochuli - a high-profile NFL referee.

During Sunday’s Denver/San Diego game, Hochuli made a mistake when he ruled a fumble as an incomplete pass. The call came during a crucial time and ultimately allowed Denver to score and win the game. Following the ruling, Hochuli went on to admit that he erred and he has even publicly apologized for his gaff.

In the days when AIG and Bear Sterns go belly up and blame everybody but themselves for the result, it’s refreshing to see a person with a lot of responsibility take ownership of his actions. When Lexus announced their voluntary recall, they helped reinforce that they were indeed focused on the “relentless pursuit of perfection.” Having Hochuli admit that he was human makes him truly a ref you can believe in. Well played, Ed.

Karl Gromelski is a writer at sgdp and would love to have Ed officiate the creative process on all his projects.

Article Tags: Denver | Ed Hochuli | football | mistake | San Diego
Filed under: Branding, Miscellaneous