The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) – which runs The Championships, Wimbledon tournament – served up a 2021 tournament promotional campaign called ‘It’s A Wimbledon Thing’ which aimed to further building global engagement.
Launched on 14 June (two weeks ahead of the start of the tournament), the integrated #WimbledonThing initiative was created by agency McCann London and acts as a tribute to fans who take the traditions for which the tournament is known and loved and then make them their own.
It was led by a hero short film showcasing the unique nature of Wimbledon fandom: a love, which the campaign claims, goes beyond tennis.
It features a series of vignettes in a high-tempo edit which begin with the unmistakable British summer scene of barbecuing in the rain (with Pimm’s in hand of course) and then goes on to include a US-based fan proudly putting the finishing touches to her ‘Wimbledon Bake Off’ and another imagining herself on Centre Court hitting a record-breaking serve, before moving on to Japan where a fan watches the tennis in the early hours of the morning from Tokyo surrounded by the iconic Wimbledon tennis balls.
The return of The Championships. Time to get into the Wimbledon spirit – whatever that means to you…
It’s a #WimbledonThing pic.twitter.com/to3i8nlDU8
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 14, 2021
Throughout Wimbledon fortnight, the campaign will continue to encourage fans and players to share their own #WimbledonThing.
It also includes a collaboration with UEFA around the rescheduled Euro 2020 tournament which leverages UEFA’s partnership with TikTok (led by a ‘Where The People Play’ campaign created by agency Dark Horses).
As well as the new campaign, the AELTC also expanded its Wimbledon audio and video narrative series: which sets out to showcase the power of players’ on-court achievements in effecting broader cultural change.
It will also continue its efforts to ‘reach new audiences in fresh ways’ through the launch of a new series for kids. This marketing strand is fronted by the characters ‘Blade’ and ‘Bounce’ and is led by a video series which aims to introduce a new generation of fans to Wimbledon – as well as its ‘traditions and quirks’ – and has been delivered in a creative animated style by digital agency LiveWire Sport.
“No matter where they are around the world, Wimbledon fans take the traditions that the tournament is known and loved for, and make them their own,” explained AELTC Head Of Communications, Content & Digital Alkexandra Willis. “To put the campaign in the hands of fans throughout the fortnight, the AELTC will be encouraging anyone and everyone, including the players, to share their #WimbledonThing traditions.”
“As we continue to work hard to provide final confirmation of our plans for this year’s Championships, we are delighted to express our excitement and enthusiasm for Wimbledon 2021 through the launch of our campaign, ‘It’s a Wimbledon Thing,’” added AELTC CEO Sally Bolton. “Last year’s cancellation provided a timely reminder of the immense passion that our fans have for Wimbledon, brought to life through the many different traditions they re-created, all around the world. This year’s campaign aims to put this fandom at the heart of our narrative, and we are really looking forward to everyone engaging with Wimbledon again, in whatever way you choose, when The Championships begins on 28th June.”
The campaign was created by a team at McCann London and the spots were directed duo ‘US from Academy’ with paid media planned and bought through Mindshare.
Comment:
Following the cancellation of the last year’s Wimbledon, the AELTC launched its promotional campaign for its grass Grand Slam 14 days prior to the first ball being served and whilst still finalising details with the government and local authorities about how many spectators will be allowed into the grounds this year amidst ongoing uncertainty over UK pandemic restrictions.
The AELTC also announced that it will provide an update on the ‘final decisions’ for ticketing capacities, spectator requirements (such as Covid-status certification), and prize money on 16 June after which Wimbledon tickets will go on sale.
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