Brands are "getting in on the fun" at the 2019 Australian Open with creative marketing and unique activations, according to AD NEWS. Tournament rights holder Nine's partners include Kia, ANZ, AGL and Uber Eats, but "many others are on the ground showcasing their wares." AGL is teaming up with outdoor agency TMS Outdoor to "pedal" people from Melbourne's central business district to the Australian Open. The move aims to showcase the city's "love of cycling" and stand out outside of the int'l "sponsorship war" inside the tennis grounds. Seiko and Initiative teamed up to "let tennis fans return a serve" from Novak Djokovic. The brand said that it wanted to use the virtual reality activation to "try and capture people's attention." La Roche-Posay, the official sunscreen partner of the Australian Open, is making this year's event the most "sun smart." It has "doubled the amount of sunscreen available from last year," providing tennis fans complementary samples through its Sunscreen Stations. Bag brand Crumpler opened a courtside pop-up store along with its limited-edition bag collaboration with the Australian Open. Pasta brand Barilla is bringing back its "much-loved Masters of Pasta custom-built restaurant" to the tournament. It is located in the Vineyard precinct of the Grand Slam Oval and showcases creative pasta dishes. People at the event looking for "some reprieve from the heat" can find it at Canadian Club's pop-up bars. Dunlop recruited Aussie legend Rod Laver to sign tennis balls and "even answer questions." Aperol Spritz launched two Aperol Club s to kick off the Australian Open. It offered fans citrus drinks to "take a break during the day" (AD NEWS, 1/17).
