Category: Celebrity

New PR plan for Ashley Cole – Is he worth it?

23-Aug-10 17:17

Saturday brought a tale of two contrasts. The new series of X-Factor saw with it the return of "The Nation's Sweetheart" Cheryl Cole to rapturous applause from the live audience. While over at the DW Stadium her estranged husband Ashley Cole drew boos and jeers from the Wigan crowd as his status as the nation's favourite pantomime villain continues to hold firm.

Cole's image is clearly in need of a PR boost after his marriage woes and fallout from the World Cup failure and it appears his club has recognised this as well. Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck has publicly stated that the club aims to restore Cole's battered image by lowering his profile and making sure his name occupies the back pages of newspapers rather than the front.

From a PR perspective this would seem like a sound plan. Cole is a gifted footballer who rarely let's anybody down - on the pitch. But quite how Chelsea will manage to lower the profile of a player who can sometimes be his own worst enemy is another story.

Perhaps Cole can take PR advice from Cheryl. Only a few short years ago she was best known as the gobby one from Girl's Aloud that picked fights with Lilly Allen and toilet attendants. Her image transformation since then is nothing short of astounding.

If Cheryl can turn around her image to such a degree then maybe Ashley Cole can do the same. I will watch Chelsea's and Cole's PR plan with interest to see if the pantomime villain can turn himself into a Disney prince.

But I won't hold my breath...

Mark