Honoring more than a century of history while "adjusting to the rise of social media and its growing youth audience" is the balancing act as Wimbledon looks to build on the “golden era” of tennis, according to Erin Lyons of MARKETING WEEK. The tournament's 116-year partnership with Slazenger is the "longest in sporting history" and unlike other Grand Slams, you will not see "numerous sponsors' boards surrounding the courts," as the tournament has "strict branding rules." However, with the All England Club (AELTC) celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, alongside 50 years of Open tennis, Wimbledon acknowledges it "must experiment with how it champions history and tradition" to engage both its "older, core audience" and the rising number of younger viewers walking through its gates each year. Wimbledon said that its biggest challenge is not competing for attention with the World Cup, but avoiding becoming "complacent" in what it has labeled "the golden age of tennis." Wimbledon’s new animated campaign, titled #TakeOnHistory and part of the wider "In Pursuit of Greatness" series, looks to maintain the event’s "exclusive image" while appealing to the broader U.K. population that represents the tournament’s viewership. The 60-second animated video takes the viewer on a "historical journey through the decades." It starts in black and white before transitioning to color, showing the "evolution of Wimbledon from its beginnings in 1877 up to the present day." Created with McCann London, the video also "follows a continuous illustrated tennis rally that starts with Spencer Gore and ends with modern day greats Roger Federer and Serena Williams." AELTC Marketing & Commercial Head James Ralley said that the campaign "aims to illustrate Wimbledon's brand essence." He said, "It's really important we get that message across because it's something that runs through the DNA of the club. The element that we think lands the message is the use of different animations which are reflective of different decades." Ralley added that Wimbledon's digital platforms "will be the next best thing to being here," and that the AELTC is "always investing in digital and social with the tournament lending itself to the visual power of Instagram in particular." He said that when looking at it from a campaign perspective, this year is different because "rather than just delivering a trailer," Wimbledon will be producing content networks for all platforms. Ralley: "We're focused on making content work in all different environments. Through our digital and social channels we will try to give a sense of what the event is all about and what the experience is like" (MARKETING WEEK, 6/29).
