By ALEX STONE


Feb. 14, 2006 — Coca-Cola and Visa had a decision to make this week. Now that Michelle Kwan has pulled out of the Olympics due to a groin injury, the two companies had to decide if they would air television commercials that include Kwan's name.

Coke decided to pull one advertisement with Kwan's name in it. The company said it would air a second ad that references the figure skater. Visa announced it would go ahead and broadcast its commercial featuring Kwan.

"I'm not sure that a company wants Michelle Kwan as a spokesperson at this point because she's not perceived to be victorious," said Jonathan Taplin, a profesor of digital media at the University of Southern California.

Coke plans to substitute the Kwan ad with others that highlight other Olympic athletes. As for Visa, though the credit card company said it would air its ad featuring Kwan, it must decide what it will do about ads that feature skier Bode Miller. Miller was disqualified in a key competition today.

Companies use winning athletes in their ads so viewers think of that company as a winner. "Michelle Kwan's story is a little bit sad and she's not a winner, she's a loser," said Taplin.

But some companies decide not to give up on the athletes they have paid so much money to acquire. Recently, American Express aired commercials promoting tennis star Andy Roddick's "good mojo." When Roddick's play was unexpectedly poor at the U.S. Open, American Express tweaked its commercials with an actor proclaiming "Some people are saying Andy Roddick has lost his mojo." It went on to say the credit card offers a "world of service."

The 15-second Visa commercial featuring Kwan is scheduled to air on Monday night.


####