The WTA today fully launched its global "40 Love" ad campaign that celebrates the organization's 40th anniversary and includes print, TV and digital elements. The print element, under the tagline "Forty Years of Breaking Barriers. Thank you for inspiring us," pairs images of five current women's tennis players with those of past stars in a series of one-page ads. Billie Jean King narrates two TV spots: the 60-second "Time Flies" and "Give," which comes in both 30- and 60-second versions. Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, N.Y., created the print ad campaign as well as the "40 Love" logo, which launched earlier this year. The TV spots were produced by James Allen of Visual+Aid Inc., Portland. Allen also worked on the WTA's "Strong Is Beautiful" campaign that launched in '12.
| CURRENT PLAYERS | PAST PLAYERS |
| Victoria Azarenka | Steffi Graf |
| Li Na | Chris Evert |
| Maria Sharpova | Monica Seles |
| Serena Williams | Billie Jean King |
| Venus Williams | Martina Navratilova |
GOING GLOBAL: The "40 Love" theme was first announced in January, and elements of it are being incorporated into the league's communications platform throughout the year. Now, with the launch of the full global ad campaign, ad materials will be made available to all WTA int'l tournaments and global TV partners, with spots airing in more than 80 countries. Spots also will run on CNN Int'l. The print ads will appear in tournament programs and also will be a component of several special print sections running in conjunction with high-profile tournaments. One such section will appear in the Sunday Times of London during Wimbledon. Other sections are expected to run concurrent with the U.S. Open and the season-ending BNP Paribas WTA Championships in Istanbul, with publications for those still to be decided.
LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN: The campaign focuses attention not only on the league's history of athletic competition, but on its broader social impact as well. King in her narration notes the league "made history" and says players have been "determined to win, not just for ourselves, but for women everywhere." WTA CMO Andrew Walker said a goal of the ads was to highlight how the league's founding was "based on principles of equality and opportunity," and how that "spirit has carried on" through today's players. This is evidenced by current players thanking the WTA founders and stars who came before them. Walker: "That baton has passed, not only from a sporting perspective, but a social perspective, across four decades."
