Sampras Fronts American Express’ US Open ‘Pro Walk’ Immersive Tennis Fan Online Virtual Experience

As the 2016 US Open gets under way, the spearhead of sponsor American Express’ integrated and multi-faceted leverage ‘Like A Pro’ programme led by an immersive ‘Pro Walk’.

Aiming to build on its reputation for leveraging the latest technology to create unique and memorable fan experiences, the payments and credit card outfit has created ‘The Pro Walk – A US Open American Express Fan Experience’.

This offers US Open attendees a chance to virtually experience the journey the professional players make as they walk from the locker room to the recently renovated Arthur Ashe Stadium via the onsite US Open American Express Fan Experience.

This immersive experiential offering combines replicas of the player locker room and tunnel with holograms of legendary US Open champions Pete Sampras and Monica Seles, along with three-dimensional soundscapes and stadium projection mapping to make fans feel like they are on the main court.

B_ROLL_PACKAGE_FULL_PRESS_RELEASE_082416 from Stellarhead Digital Storytelling on Vimeo.

‘At American Express, we are always excited to bring our Card Members and tennis fans new, exciting and interactive experiences during the US Open,’ explains American Express global sponsorship and experiential marketing VP Deborah Curtis.

‘Given the changes to this year’s tournament, we are especially excited to use our position as a service brand to ensure that all fans – from those that have been to the US Open year after year to those who are first timers – are able to experience the US Open like a pro. From providing premium amenities and offerings, to exclusive digital content, to allowing attendees onsite to experience the never-before-seen Pro Walk, we are again delivering unique service and access to our Card Members and fans.’

As well as the virtual versions of Sampras and Seles, a further activation strand to enhance the ‘Pro’ tournament experience, American Express has partnered with former US Open champion Venus Williams and up-and-coming USA men’s player Taylor Fritz to showcase the unique benefits and services that only American Express is able provide at this year’s tournament.

This ‘Open Like A Pro’ amplification strand revolves around a series of four short spots starring Venus that aim to give fans and attendees a further glimpse of what is means to be ‘Open Like A Pro’.

In the video vignettes, the Compton-native subtly touches on topics that go through many athletes’ minds – from what to eat to what to wear – ahead of a championship match.

The clips not only showcase the life and mindset of a pro player, but also showcase her personality (and feature Venus wearing pieces from the Prism Collection in her very own clothing line – EleVen by Venus Williams).

The spots are being amplified socially on the financial brand’s own platforms and include ‘Early AM Serve’,

‘Eyes’,

‘Footwork’.

and ‘Breathing’.

While further social amplification using the #AmexTennis hashtag includes work across Twitter and Snapchat.

Which current player do you think is the coolest under pressure? Use #AmexTennis to debate like a Pro pic.twitter.com/wYiBP3fj8V

— Venus Williams (@Venuseswilliams) August 29, 2016

Further elements of the American Express US Open fan experience programme include

Chair of Champions: In the new American Express space located in the South Plaza, fans will be provided the chance to grab a seat in the one-of-a-kind Chair of Champions. The new, glass-enclosed space will provide an unforgettable photo opportunity for tennis fans as they sit in the throne made completely of tennis balls and rackets. All Card Members can also stop in to pick up complimentary premiums, such as cell phone fans and radios¹.
American Express Center Court Club: A new 70-person luxury suite – the Center Court Club at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
American Express Card Member Club: Card Members will be invited to sit back, relax and recharge in the Card Member Club in the Fan Experience, which will boast a number of complimentary services such as mophie battery phone case rental, massages offered in partnership with exhale, sunglass cleaning and more. Food and beverages are available for purchase as well².
American Express Fan Court: A full-sized tennis court for fans will feature daily live programming to provide attendees of all ages with tools and technology to enhance and improve their tennis game:
Athlete Meet and Greets: To kick-off the first few days of the US Open, popular tennis professionals will join American Express on the court to participate in question-and-answer sessions, giving fans additional insight and tips for the game.
USTA Tennis Programming: A returning favorite, fans of all ages will have the chance to participate in USTA programming sessions including youth tennis sessions, adult tennis skills challenges and more.
American Express Radio Live at the Open: The American Express Radios continue to be a fan favorite at the US Open. This year, American Express will distribute 180,000 radios from five different locations throughout the grounds¹. The radios will feature live play-by-play commentary and match updates from ESPN, as well as some tips on how to do the US Open like a Pro from some of the pros themselves –Sampras, Seles, Williams and Fritz.
Customer Care Service for Fans: American Express Customer Care Professionals will be at the Fan Experience, and American Express Brand Ambassadors will be throughout the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to deliver the company’s Relationship Care^® service to its customers and all event guests, helping fans take full advantage of onsite benefits and experience the exceptional care American Express provides Card Members.
#AmexTennis US Open Daily Debates: Debating about each match at the US Open brings an element of added excitement to the tournament. American Express will bring this spirit to life by driving a social media campaign that encourages US Open fans to participate in conversations on Twitter. Fans can track and take part in the daily debates by using #AmexTennis, and as the daily debates heat up, Sampras, Seles, Williams and Fritz will join in on the action.
American Express in Snapchat’s US Open Live Story Coverage: On the last day of the US Open, American Express will premiere a series of short, fun vignettes that will live within the US Open Snapchat Live Story of the Men’s Finals. This series will share how pro fans use insider knowledge and American Express to experience the US Open like a pro. Pro tips will range from how to keep cool to staying in the know.
US Open Winner’s Walk: The Winner’s Walk presented by American Express is a question-and-answer session with the winning players at Arthur Ashe as they walk back to the locker room after their victory. Content will be distributed with the potential to stream live on Facebook.
US Open App: American Express will be the presenting sponsor of US Open Radio and Guest Information, within the US Open App. Guest Info, a new activation for 2016, will help guide attendees throughout the event, as there are many new enhancements throughout the National Tennis Center.

Comment

This impressively broad and deep activation programme spans both the innovative side of contemporary activation as well as more old-school hospitality led strands.

The brand continues to create cutting edge US Open activations using new technologies and this year’s work builds on its virtual reality led ‘You vs Sharapova’ initiative from last year which generated 1bn+ PR impressions (see case study).

Links

American Express YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/AmericanExpress

American Express Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanExpressUK/?brand_redir=259459370846061

American Express Twitter:

https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmexTennis?src=hash

https://twitter.com/americanexpress

American Express Tumbrl:

http://americanexpress.tumblr.com/

American Express Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/americanexpress/