ATP's Premier Partner Corona introduces new 'Ready to Serve' Ad Campaign – Tennis News
The Mexican beer giant Grupo Modelo, parent company of Corona recently premiered a new television ad campaign aimed at promoting both the brand and tennis – the sport with which it associates itself. The ad will undoubtedly delight fans of the game with its innovative and quirky beach-themed outlook, a unique take on the modern game.
Corona and Corona Extra had entered into an exclusive partnership with the Association of Tennis Players (ATP) in February 2010 granting them the marketing rights and privileges of a sole sponsor for 5 and a half years. This translated into visible Corona branding, including but not limited to court markings, billboards, net illustrations and integration into the association’s websites and weekly television show, which currently airs in 147 countries.
As part of its ongoing promotional activities, Corona’s new ad campaign ‘Ready to Serve’ is bound to draw attention and acclaim. The unique ad features tennis players playing on a red clay court, set amidst a sprawling pristine white sandy beach with clear sparkling water and bordered by the shade from a clump of palm trees. The umpire enters in swimming trunks and keeps an eye on the proceedings from atop a lifeguard’s chair and the match winner takes away a trophy festooned with Corona bottle.
This ad has been a deliberate attempt by the brand to amalgamate the two things which its user has come to associate it with; relaxing and refreshing beaches and the gruelling game of tennis. Carlos Uranga, Chief Marketing Officer of the company said, “This campaign brings the spirit of the beach to the tennis court in a relevant and creative way, causing the sensation of actually being there.”
But making the tranquil and picturesque ad was nothing short of mayhem for the team behind it. For starters there were no red clay courts, popular in Europe, to be found in the US. Filming the ad was a huge logistics undertaking, involving a team spanning three cities and two countries. Corona itself is headquartered in Mexico, while the photographer Gary Land is based out of Boston and the production team was stationed in Los Angeles.
“We called numerous places,” says the vice president of the ad agency JWT charged with the project. “At one point we called New York, places in Florida, and here, to find out options for where courts were available.” Unable to find a satisfactory court, the team decided to build one of its own. Crushed red brick was specially flown in all the way from Europe and the 8000 seat Home Depot Tennis Centre in Carson, California was transformed into the exquisite tennis court shown in the ad.
Award winning photographer Land is excited about his project. He claims that viewers will notice the sharp contrast between this ad and his previous works. While most of his previous work with top stars like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer focused more on the person of the player, often giving him a surreal look this ad is more close to real life. It lacks all the glamour, tricks and editing that are his forte but instead focus more on the relaxing, laid back and fun atmosphere, characteristic of matches on the ATP tour.
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