Roads to fame … Regardless of the time, most famous people would like to dwell in the hearts of the people for longer than their prime. As humans, we’re fascinated by drama be it in films, sports, or politics. Sometimes this takes place by scandals but most of the time it takes place through orchestrated events which are nothing but publicity stunts. Most of you know the famous basketball player Michael Jordan. He is said to have retired at least 3 times from his NBA career. He announced his first retirement when he was in his prime (30). It was made known to everyone that the reason behind this was the demise of his father and his wanting to switch to baseball. The actual reason is said to be that he was suspended due to his disreputable gambling habits and debts. The publicity worked towards his graceful departure. Sometimes, conspiracies are framed for publicity like the famous boxing rematch between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston at the world heavyweight championship on 25th May 1965. Sonny Liston was the world heavyweight champion and the most intimidating fighter of his day. But Ali is said to have knocked Liston down in the first round where he crumbled to a phantom punch. Rumour goes that Liston was involved with the mafia who forced him to lose the fight as they had bet their money on Muhammad Ali. Also, Liston was under pressure from them because of his debts. Obviously, there is no solid proof of any of these stories. Those involved have not admitted to taking action to create publicity. It's just that from an admirer’s point of view, it’s only the newspaper headlines that matter. Now let’s have a glimpse at Tiger Woods. He’s definitely had some major stumbling blocks in his career. From car crashes to sex scandals, his track record isn’t the best. He’s had to take some time off to work on himself. While a lot of people aren’t a fan of reckless driving, or partial to adultery, after apologies and some behavioural rehab, people (brands too!!) are ready to give him another chance. He has an immense impact on the game of golf. In March 2004 Tiger Woods was paid $1m to play in the Dubai Desert Golf Classic and practice his tee-shots from the helipad of the Burj Al Arab, the world’s tallest free-standing hotel. As part of yet another publicity campaign, he hit golf balls from Europe to Asia for the promotion of Turkey's first European Tour event in 2013. Last but not the least, The International Olympic Committee's world-famous Torch Relay has been executed in the months leading up to the Games since 1936. This legendary stunt has generated mass publicity for the Olympics, athletes, and sponsors. Well, people love to be entertained. And when one manages to pull this off, it's simply termed as a publicity stunt– the greater the risk the greater the return. Tanika Pereira 15th May 2021