Issue #78: Wimbledon wins on social
How Wimbledon is reflecting the vibe shift in tennis + how brands are showing up at the tournament 🎾
Hello! I hope everyone has had a smooth post-4th of July transition back to work this week. I just got back from Idaho where I was spending the weekend, and now I’m in Atlanta for work. It’s been such a fun week but I am exhausted. Hope you had a lovely and relaxing long weekend! Some photos from my own (if you haven’t noticed, I’ve been loving sharing these little photo grids):
Onto this week’s issue! For some context, the inspiration for today’s topic came from my mom – she’s obsessed with Wimbledon. Every morning that I was home over the weekend, she’d wake up and make coffee and immediately turn on the TV to watch, unable to pull away until the end of that day’s buzziest match. I, too, quickly became enthralled – not only by the actual tennis matches – but also the whole scene at Wimbledon.
Today’s issue is a Wimbledon brand breakdown, where we’re covering:
Wimbledon’s 10/10 social media strategy
Brand stunts at Wimbledon
And this:
Wimbledon has been crushing it on social media.
covered how they make their ‘Overheard’ videos, which I can’t stop watching. She also called out that they’ve been averaging 50 posts per day since the tournament started on June 30th, or 373 posts total. Wild. I want to know how many people are on their social team.
The Wimbledon brand is adapting to the times. I’ve always thought tennis can be a bit stuffy and buttoned-up (particularly at Wimbledon, which is sooo steeped in tradition and affluence), but a lot of players are changing that vibe with fun outfits, silly reactions throughout the game, and playful press interviews. The Wimbledon social team is doing a great job of reflecting that vibe shift in their content, balancing more serious match updates and point recaps with light-hearted content like celebrity spottings, player mishaps, fashion coverage, the aforementioned ‘Overheard at Wimbledon’ series, and more. Props to Wimbledon for successfully adapting their brand to the times!
Brands are showing up at Wimbledon with fresh stunts. Bose gave custom headphones designed by Grace Wales Bonner to young tennis stars Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton. Bose wasn’t an official sponsor of Wimbledon, which goes to show that you can still show up at events in really smart, unique ways even in the absence a formal partnership.
Stella Artois teamed up with David Beckham to launch a limited-edition all-white can for Wimbledon, embracing the concept of tennis whites.
ESPN’s launched a ‘Quiet Please’ campaign for Wimbledon, featuring the sport’s stars in a video with a very Wes Anderson-feel. It’s elegant and beautiful while also showcasing ESPN’s ongoing coverage of the tournament.
Oh, and one more non-Wimbledon note! Pinterest launched their first-ever Men’s Trend Report earlier this week, highlighting how men are using the platform to express individuality, creativity, and redefine what masculinity looks like today. I’ve seen a few LinkedIn posts from the Pinterest team about how men use Pinterest too, and I love that they’re seeking to reposition the platform for a broader user base, showcasing a variety of use cases in the process. The trending topics among male users include: Holistic Health & Fearless Fitness, Style & Self-Care, Next-Gen Tech & Finance, Gaming, Modern Metal Home Decor (Author’s Note: ???), and Fatherhood & Family. Apparently Pilates is a big topic, too.
That’s all for this week! Let me know if you’ve been watching Wimbledon. I’d also love to see your favorite social posts from Wimbledon in the comments. Thank you for reading. xx
Love this!!
I am so happy I provided inspiration for today’s BB!