Rebel Kyrgious Fronts Beats By Dre 'Play Your Own Rules' Wimbledon Ambush

To misquote Oscar Wild, it seems it’s true that ‘life imitate ads more than ads imitate life’.

After all, Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios foul-mouthed tirade on day three of Wimbledon 2015 mimicked his new Beats By Dre commercial which mocks the tennis rule that ‘audible obscenities are strictly prohibited’.

Express yourself by any means. @NickKyrgios x Beats. Play Your Own Rules pic.twitter.com/7ycJksjIsJ

— Beats By Dre UK (@beatsbydreUK) June 28, 2015

Kyrgios plays the rebel role in fronting Beats’ new ‘Play Your Own Rules’ campaign as the newly acquired Apple brand aims to leverage global interest in Wimbledon by poking fun at the tournament’s traditions.

It runs with the copy:

‘The rules of tennis tell you how should act, how you should play, how you should dress and overall, how you should be. What they don’t tell you is, how to play at your best. For that, you have to Play Your Own Rules.’

The work is led by a spot that mocks the ‘rules of tennis’ and urges viewers to play by their own rules.

The soundtrack plays a crucial role in the spot (as it does in all Beats creative) and this tune is ‘Shutdown’ by Skepta (https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/shu…).
The marketing initiative also spans Beats’ digital platforms – including Twitter – as it offers its own brand challenge to the oldest tournament in tennis through a set of clips,

The oldest tournament in tennis is about to get a wake up. @NickKyrgios x Beats: Play Your Own Rules. https://t.co/locorztaSt

— Beats By Dre UK (@beatsbydreUK) June 26, 2015

and GIFs.

The game needs a little colour. Beats x Kyrgios. Play Your Own Rules http://t.co/kG3HIQoBEJ pic.twitter.com/0Zx6D72xin

— Beats By Dre UK (@beatsbydreUK) June 30, 2015

The campaign even stretches to a touch of guerrilla on-site product placement – amplified through social media.

Caught the home girl @YesJulz hanging out at Wimbledon with one of our very own. #BeatsxMCM pic.twitter.com/B2Ur45SS65

— Beats By Dre UK (@beatsbydreUK) July 1, 2015

It also continues Beats established tactic of paying player ambassador to arrive at events and properties (often sponsored by rival brands) wearing Beats headphones.

.@NickKyrgios just pulled up at SW19. Wimbledon isn't ready. Play Your Own Rules. pic.twitter.com/7J3ab4WXaQ

— Beats By Dre UK (@beatsbydreUK) June 29, 2015

The Kyrgios assets promote the brand’s latest Powerbeats2 Wireless and Beats Solo2 and again the ads revolve around the product as an aid to helping athletes focus their minds before matches.

Beat is also using digital platforms and the same creative feel and tone to promote products through its other athlete endorsers – such as Serena Williams.

The Queen Of The Court @serenawiliams is ready. Let's see if London is… #SerenaSlam pic.twitter.com/seKahMiNMS

— Beats By Dre UK (@beatsbydreUK) June 29, 2015

Comment

This Beats By Dre strategy of teaming up with high profile, slightly edgy sports endorsers has become its established marketing method – perhaps a bit too established?

The Australian with the (seemingly scripted) rebellious attitude seems like he (and perhaps his new agency at IMG) are trying a little too hard to fill the position of tennis’s latest ‘bad boy’ in order to carve out a successful commercial career with self-styled rebel brands.

This even comes with his own personal #NKRising hashtag.

Nevertheless, by choosing him as a brand ambassador Beats have secured the man Repucom recently crowned as recently crowned Australia’s most marketable athlete.

The big serving 20-year-old, who had fewer than 4,000 twitter followers a year ago, now tops a list that includes F1 ddriver Daniel Ricciardo and footballer Tim Cahil.

As well as Beats, Kyrgios also has a major sponsorship deal with Nike

‘Nick Kyrgios is clearly a rising star of Australian sport, his general awareness is already at two thirds of the Australian public and will surely grow over time based on current trend and recent on-court performances,’ commented Repucom managing director Guy Port after it promoted its findings.

‘He is seen as a trend-setter, with Repucom’s Celebrity DBI study showing him ranked 13th of all sportspeople – both global and in Australia – sitting aside the likes of Rafa Nadal. Whilst his opportunity for endorsement partners, such as current sponsor Nike, is shown as he ranks 11th of all sportspeople [global and Australia] for appeal level.’

Links

Beats by Dre Website:

http://www.beatsbydre.com/

Beats by Dre YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Officialb…

Beats by Dre Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/beatsbydre/

Beats by Dre Twitter:

http://twitter.com/beatsbydreUK/

Beats by Dre Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/beatsbydre/

Beats by Dre Google+: