THE BEST WIMBLEDON ADS OF ALL TIME

The 2023 Wimbledon Championships are here – who will be following in the footsteps of previous champions such as Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Serena Williams, Ash Barty and our own Andy Murray?

All eyes are on South West London and its iconic grass courts, but which brands have created the best Wimbledon ads over the years?

Robinsons

Robinsons is the brand that’s synonymous with Wimbledon fortnight. However, they ended their sponsorship of the tournament after an incredible 86 years last year; it was one of the longest-running partnerships in sport.

The squash was in fact invented at Wimbledon back in 1933 as a way to hydrate players and went into commercial production a short time afterwards. The All England Lawn and Tennis Club confirmed the split with a statement: ‘After more than 80 years, we can confirm that the partnership between the AELTC and Robinsons has come to an end. We are tremendously proud of the historic association with Robinsons over so many years and thank it for the wider role it has played in supporting Wimbledon and tennis across the UK.’

Robinsons’ Wimbledon advert in 2009 showed all the agony and ecstasy of watching a British favourite make their way through the tournament. At that point, we didn’t know when we’d finally have a Wimbledon champion.

In 2012, Andy Murray became the first male British player since Bunny Austin in 1938 to make it to a Wimbledon final. He suffered an agonising defeat to Roger Federer, then came back a year later to beat Novak Djokovic in the final. He was the first Briton to win the title since Fred Perry in 1936, ending a 76-year drought. (He was also the first Scot to win the title since Harold Mahony in 1896).

In a smart piece of reactive advertising, Robinson’s brought back its original ad – giving it the longed-for last line, ‘worth the wait, wasn’t it?’

‘Ball Boy’

Our poor ball boy! Sprinting round the court fetching balls on a scorching day in 1981, he can only dream of a refreshing glass of Robinson’s Barley Water. But by the time he gets to have one, there’s no water left in the dispenser… Someone grab him an Evian, maybe?

‘Pat Cash’ - 1993

A cheeky scamp asks Pat Cash for his autograph at the end of a match; Pat asks the kid to hold his drink while he does it – who promptly scarfs the lot, earning himself an outraged, ‘Oi, kid!’ from Cash, and a bop on the head with his racket.

Wimbledon and The All England Tennis Club

The official 2023 Wimbledon promo, ‘Always Like Never Before’, is narrated by US teen sensation Coco Gauff, with a pulsating, blockbuster-esque backing track, showcasing greats through the ages:

This year’s campaign also features a rousing 60-second spot, celebrating some iconic moments that have taken place on the All England Club’s hallowed turf since the tournament was first held in 1877.

The greatest rivalries; the debut of game-changing new stars; trailblazers and unmissable mavericks; defiant Brits and spirited wheelchair players – everyone is ‘in pursuit of greatness’. McCann London’s film features a blend of live action archive footage, 2D illustration and 3D animation effects, CGI and photography, together with an all-new song created especially for the tournament by Kanye West-approved hip hop and electronic producer, composer and DJ, Hudson Mohawke, featuring vocals by GiGi Grombacher, ‘Pushing On (Always Like Never Before)’

‘You just need to watch one episode of Netflix’s Break Point to understand that we’re at a pivotal moment in tennis. We’re blessed with a raft of new players coming through the ranks, full of passion and hunger, and ready to make their mark on the tour,’ Wimbledon marketing and commercial director, Usama Al-Qassab said.

‘It’s an exciting, once in a sporting generation time, and we had to reflect this mood in our new trailer. After all, a day at Wimbledon is always like never before. Produced with our creative partners at McCann London, the trailer skillfully weaves together archive action with various creative techniques to produce a series of stunning filmic posters.’

McCann London creative directors Matt Searle and Olly Wood added, ‘The mix of tradition and innovation is at the heart of our ‘Always Like Never Before’ campaign, which recognises the sport’s trailblazers, great rivals, mavericks and spirited legends who inspire us all and have created so many unforgettable moments at Wimbledon.’

As for the track, its creator, Hudson Mohawke is a huge fan: ‘I’ve been watching Wimbledon on TV since I was a young boy, so to be a part of this year’s trailer feels surreal. We’re seeing a new wave of legends define history in the tennis world, and I wanted to make a soundtrack that reflected this juncture and the tantalising mood that comes with it – it’s something that’s hard to put your finger on, but you can just feel it in your chest.

I’ve used terms such as “fearless”, “strong”, “stand my ground” and “holding on” in the vocals, to echo the nature of competitive sport and just how hungry this next generation of stars is for success.’

‘The Stage Awaits’

Creative partners McCann London launched this lovely animation in 2022, soundtracked by Summer Kennedy’s uplifting ‘Come Alive’ as part of a number of initiatives to celebrate the centenary of Centre Court.

Featuring three young Wimbledon fans who are inspired by the wonder of Centre Court, the short brings together the thrill of tennis, the celebration of style, and the awe of the Club’s Grounds – all of which contribute to Wimbledon’s unique magic. As the viewer follows each of the characters on their imaginative journey, we witness the excitement of The Championships through their eyes while paying tribute to the many legends of the sport, past and present, who have celebrated success at SW19.

Rob Webster and Alexei Berwitz, Creative Directors at McCann London, commented, ‘For one of the biggest sporting events in the calendar, Wimbledon has always been about much more than just tennis. This film is packed fuller than a strawberry punnet with all the things that make Wimbledon so special, from history and architecture to spectacular floral and fashion displays and of course Serena’s epic forehands.’

‘It’s a Wimbledon Thing’

This promo from 2021 demonstrates everything from obsessive fandom to the classic British experience of setting up the TV in the garden under a gazebo so you can watch the final whilst overseeing a rain-soaked BBQ. Plus, it puts the international fans at the heart of the campaign, celebrating the uniqueness of Wimbledon fandom – a passion that goes beyond tennis.

The 2020 tournament was cancelled because of the Covid pandemic, so the 2021 gathering was even more eagerly awaited around the world. Directed by duo ‘US from Academy’, the film shows fans in Tokyo, Thailand, New York, London and beyond sharing their ‘Wimbledon Thing’ – their traditions honed over the years.

‘The List’

McCann London also took us on this behind the scenes look at the level of extraordinary detail the team behind the Championships goes to, to make Wimbledon fortnight the best it can possibly be – from aligning benches to the signage around the grounds; temperature control to reviewing the tea blends on offer and removing a squeak from a seat on Centre Court. Narrated by Chief Executive Richard Lewis, with a piano-based soundtrack, it’s a fascinating insight into perfectionism.

Who Is Sponsoring Wimbledon 2023?

This year’s official sponsors include Slazenger, who will supply 54,250 balls for the tournament.

This evocative brand film by Evoke Films shows how deeply embedded Slazenger is, from the courts to the giant souvenir Slazenger balls, and the precise weight of each ball that’s used for match play, accompanied by a flowing piano soundtrack:

Rolex

Rolex’s long-standing relationship with tennis dates back more than 40 years, to 1978, when it became the Official Timekeeper of The Championships, Wimbledon. Its support for the game now extends to all four Grand Slam tournaments – the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open – as well as legends of the sport such as Rod Laver, Chris Evert and Roger Federer, along with today’s champions, including Garbiñe Muguruza and Dominic Thiem, and the next generation of stars, such as Bianca Andreescu and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

This Rolex Wimbledon ad celebrates everything from ‘brilliant beginnings to long careers’, games won with one shot to those historic, epic matches.

Roger Federer Perpetual Rolex Commercial

Who could ask for a better partnership than Rolex and beloved Swiss champion Roger Federer?

Prior to his retirement, Federer had become the first man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles, six ATP Finals crowns and had netted more than 1,200 career victories. And both on and off the court, Federer’s constant has been the fact he’s always sported a Rolex – first taking to Roland Garros in 2009 in a Yacht-Master II.

The Perpetual ad asks, ‘how exactly do we measure greatness?’ whilst showing Federer in action both on and off the court and celebrating the beauty and elegance of his tennis, as well as just the numbers: it’s a legacy that will be perpetual.

IBM

IBM has been the Official Technology Partner of The Championships for more than 30 years. Every year, IBM Consulting works in close collaboration with the AELTC to bring the drama and excitement of Wimbledon to more than 20 million people around the world.

Features such as IBM Match Insights, the IBM Power Index and players’ Likelihood to Win have made tennis more exciting than ever, highlighted by the great graphics in this ad.

Evian

The Championships’ Official Water has a long history of creating fun ads featuring tennis greats with their ‘Live Young’ campaign.

The brand revived its famous ‘Babies’ campaign with its seventh iteration in 2017. Creative agency BETC Paris wanted its consumers to experience what it might be like to see the world as a baby, and came up with the ‘Oversize’ concept, featuring brand ambassadors Maria Sharapova and Stan Wawrinka and a selection of oversized clothing and props. The idea is that when you drink Evian, you awake the baby inside you.

Go behind the scenes of the challenge:

Or try Evian’s super-catchy, beats-driven ‘Wimbledon Wiggle’:

‘The Journey of a Bottle’

In their animated 2019 ad, Evian wonders if it’s possible to pass down the same water bottle from each tennis great, meaning a smaller impact on the planet. The Wimbledon bottles were made of recycled plastic and 100% recyclable – the company has vowed to make all of its bottles to that standard by 2025.

Emma Raducanu and Dua Lipa

We love this fun spot, with US Open champ Emma Raducanu showing Dua Lipa how to perfect her forehand – Dua adds in a pirouette and speaks for all of us when she asks, ‘when do we do “the noise”?’ Dua then returns the favour, teaching Emma some dance moves, all soundtracked by – what else? – Dua’s absolute banger, ‘Physical’.

Sipsmith

Credited with pioneering the global craft gin boom, from 2021 Sipsmith were chosen to become the first official gin partner of The Championships.

Wimbledon ads don’t come much more fun than this, as the hilariously swanky Sipsmith Swan gets slightly the wrong end of the twizzle stick when he decides that Wimbledon is the Official Tennis of Sipsmith Gin, rather than the other way round.

Photo Credit: www.campaignlive.co.uk

The Wimbledon, Ogilvy and Sipsmith teams explain their brand synergies, and why stop-motion at 1/50th scale is the perfect way to deliver the tongue-in-cheek message in this behind-the-scenes video, from character design to craftsmanship:

‘The Official Wimbledon Throw’

Since 1922, Centre Court at Wimbledon has hosted legends from every corner of the earth. Now, over 100 years on, for 2023’s World Martini Day, world-renowned bartender Alessandro Palazi and Sipsmith’s Master Distiller Jared Brown showcase their different methods for creating the perfect Martini.

A Summer of Sport

So, there we have it – whether you’re sipping on a gin martini or keeping hydrated with Evian or Robinsons whilst keeping track of all the stats and those epic, potentially record-beating five-setters, Wimbledon provides a world of entertainment. Want inspiration from more of the best sports ads? We have deep dives on everything from Nike to Adidas. Or if you’re looking for sports soundtracks, then we’ve rounded up the standouts from FIFA.

Need music for a summer of sport content? We have hand-picked playlists for all the top sporting moments, from anticipation to euphoric victory, including brilliant sports hip hop.