JPMorgan Chase is making Grand Slam contender Serena Williams the centerpiece of its on-site activation for this year’s U.S. Open, marking the culmination of its overall promotional efforts leading up to the event.
The company is offering fans the opportunity to pose behind a faux newsdesk and, with a digital insertion of Williams into the image, have a picture taken in which they appear to be interviewing the world’s number one women’s player. In addition to getting a souvenir photo, fans will be encouraged to share their photos socially using the hashtag #MasterTheOpen.
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Fans can get a picture with Serena (sort of) in the Chase Lounge.
Photo by: JPMORGAN CHASE
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The display at the USTA National Tennis Center will be set up inside the Chase Lounge, which is exclusively for Chase banking customers. Chase has been a sponsor of the Open for more than 30 years. It added Williams to its roster of endorsers in January.
Williams is vying to become the first player to win tennis’ calendar Grand Slam since 1988.
Erich Timmerman, head of media relations for sports and entertainment for Chase, said the company expects the lounge will host 10,000 customers over the course of the two-week event. Chase also is sponsoring hat giveaways, as well as five charging stations on the grounds: one in the lounge, one in the players’ lounge and three in public areas.
The on-site activation follows a wave of in-branch, on-air and online promotion by Chase featuring Williams as part of its “Mastery” campaign.
While Chase has made Williams the focal point for its offerings, American Express has built a high-tech fan experience around Maria Sharapova. Fans who visit AmEx’s 20,000-square-foot activation area will get the chance to play a virtual-reality game in which they try to return Sharapova’s serves and shots with their own groundstrokes and volleys. The 3-minute VR experience — created by AmEx using Valve technology and filmed by Reel FX — will occur on the HTC Vive, the first consumer-oriented VR device scheduled to go on the market.
AmEx also will have an ad presence at the Willets Point subway station, where fans using mass transit will get off for the Open. Deanne Pownall, managing director of partnership marketing for the U.S. Tennis Association, said it marks the first time an Open sponsor has advertised in the station.
Emirates’ suite at Arthur Ashe Stadium, already considered the Open’s most luxurious, will be even more plush this year. Additional space has been added to what already was a double-sized suite at the stadium.
Among other U.S. Open sponsors, Polo Ralph Lauren, the official outfitter of the tournament, will be promoting its new wearable technology offering, the PoloTech Shirt, which tracks heart rate, breathing depth and energy output, among other biometrics and psychometrics. Polo models will be on site to demonstrate the shirt’s capabilities, with readings on the shirt’s accompanying app being displayed on an oversized screen. The Open is one of only three places — along with the brand’s 5th Avenue location and its official website — where the product will be available as part of the rollout. The shirt retails for $295.
Emirates’ consumer activation footprint at this year’s Open will consist of two booths, including a new “world traveler” booth that will showcase the airline’s various global destinations. Fans will be able to receive a photo of themselves at a location of their choice, made possible through a projection system at the booth.
On the hospitality side, Emirates’ suite at Arthur Ashe Stadium, already considered the Open’s most luxurious, will be even more plush this year. Additional space has been added to what already was a double-sized suite at the stadium.
The Open, which attracts about 700,000 visitors per year, offers brands access to a relatively well-educated and affluent demographic and, unlike many sporting events, has an audience that’s split equally between men and women, Pownall said. That was part of her pitch this year to new sponsors, of which there are several in the beverage category.
Lavazza is the Open’s new official coffee, Jacob’s Creek is the first official wine and JuicePress is the first official cold-pressed juice. All three products will be sold on the grounds.
Also new for this year is Mondolez’s Oreo Thins, which will be available for sampling on the grounds.
Alex Silverman writes for SportsBusiness Daily.
