Will they ever learn?  Apparently not.  This week McDonald’s announced that they have signed a multiyear partnership deal with LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He will kick-off his endorsements with a Super Bowl pregame commercial (perhaps you’ve seen it). In addition to commercials, the partnership will include public appearances at McDonald’s-sponsored events. 

Apparently the Tiger Woods saga did not sink in at McDonald’s.  Today, is there any celebrity that a brand can truly bank on their consumers wanting to completely emulate?  For every Tiger Woods there’s, well, a Tiger Woods. According to Peter Sterling, vice president of marketing for McDonald’s USA, “all we can do is look at the past behavior and hope that will be a future indicator of what that person is going to be like.” 

If brands are going to continue to partner with big name celebrities – and it appears that they will, may I offer a suggestion?  Every time a partnership is signed, it should be accompanied by a crisis plan.

In the happy, champagne popping moment when the pen glides across the paper and another athlete/celebrity becomes a few million bucks richer, no one really want to think about the possibility of everything going up in flames.  But let’s face it, transgressions, drugs, abuse and general bad behavior happens.  A lot.

The good news is that there are people that you can hire (and should hire) to think these bad thoughts for you.  And to come up with a “just in case” plan that, God forbid, the sh*t hits the fan, can be implemented immediately.  Planning for a crisis is not on the top of anyone’s list, but let me be the first to tell you, you WILL sleep better at night knowing that there’s one out there.  Some crises are just unpredictable.  But for every unpredictable event, there are 10 that everyone saw coming from a mile away. And why not be prepared for them? 

Although celebrities are easy targets; corporations, foundations, nonprofits and C-suite  executives are just as much in need of crisis plans.  Even if they live in the deep, dark recesses of a locked safe; as long as they’re accessible by those who would need to get to them, they may one day become invaluable documents.  

So McDonald’s, listen up.  LeBron James might be squeaky clean right now, but you‘re best served to be prepared.  Because you never know…