Flagship viewing zone will be hosted at Battersea Power Station throughout the Wimbledon Fortnight

The Wimbledon Experience makes a welcome return to London’s Battersea Power Station later this month, serving up live tennis action from The Championships, Wimbledon. 

Now in its third year, the official viewing zone will be delivered in association with American Express, Official Partner of The Championships, and managed by Ocean Outdoor.

Throughout the Wimbledon Fortnight, from Monday 29th June to Sunday 12th July, fans will be able to watch the BBC broadcast live on a large format 15 square metre screen, situated in Power Station Park next to the Grade II* listed Power Station and River Thames. 

This year’s viewing zone will feature a fan village, delivering an authentic taste of Wimbledon through its look and feel, partner activations and guest experience. The Wimbledon Experience is free to visit and will be open daily with live match screenings from 11am until 9pm.

As headline partner, American Express will be giving away limited edition charms* and a chance to win tickets to the Wimbledon finals weekend. Pimm’s will also be present with its branded bus, serving classic drinks. Official Championships merchandise will be available for purchase, alongside traditional strawberries and cream.

The Wimbledon Experience will be produced by Ocean Labs. The AMEX activation is produced by the experiential agency Momentum, with planning through UM and Rapport.  

Brendan Dinen, head of marketing at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, said:

“As we welcome what we anticipate will be another unforgettable Championships, we’re excited to bring the magic of Wimbledon to thousands of fans at the iconic location of Battersea Power Station. We’re thrilled to collaborate with Ocean Outdoor once again to deliver a fan experience designed to captivate and inspire audiences while celebrating the very best of world-class tennis.”

Rachel Sutton, Ocean Outdoor director of brand partnerships, said:

“We mark our ninth year working with The All England Club and the third year bringing The Wimbledon Experience to Battersea Power Station. This fan zone gives families and tennis lovers of all ages a chance to view The Championships match action and connect with Wimbledon’s Official Partners against the backdrop of one of London’s most scenic destinations. Where better to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the oldest Grand Slam event in the world?”

Natalie Caley, senior commercialisation manager at Battersea Power Station Development Company, said:

“The Wimbledon Experience at Battersea Power Station has grown into one of the most popular fixtures in our summer events calendar, as thousands of people visit the riverside neighbourhood to enjoy watching the matches together as part of their day of shopping, dining and leisure. We are pleased to be working again with Ocean Outdoor and The All England Lawn Tennis Club to raise the bar further on this experience, meeting the strong consumer demand for memorable, impactful experiences at Battersea Power Station.”

Last year, Ocean Outdoor managed and curated the 5,000 capacity official Women’s Rugby World Cup fan zone at Battersea Power Station, later becoming the home of the Red Roses’ Rugby World Cup victory celebration.

*subject to availability/while stocks last

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Niki Pembroke, Head of Travel solutions at Inspire, considers whether linking sporting events with sales promotion can drive sales.

Marketers and Sales Managers face huge challenges in the new decade to help their campaigns stand out and deliver measurable results.

Defining demographics to target a new product or service, has become more fragmented. No longer is it the case to choose who to target, by age, life stage, gender, income or location. Buyer personas, like mindedness, buying habits and interests, have become the best way to identify suitable target markets.

Have we peaked? All marketing channels, from traditional advertising to social media and influencing, seemed to be saturated. Time poor people are flicking through social media feeds and TV channels to quickly get to what they want to watch or read. Often adverts or business social media posts are simply bypassed. And that’s before the social network algorithms choose whether to show a post on your followers’ feeds.

So marketers need something refreshing, inspiring and attention grabbing.

Sports support is the ultimate tribalism, no matter what the age, gender, or income, the common interest and bind is the sport.

I therefore believe that combining travel and sport themed campaigns can be the proverbial catnip for sales promotion. Major sporting events excite and generate current relevant coverage, across all media. What could better captivate a target buyer persona group than sport?

Kick off a sales campaign with football inspired travel promotions

This year Euro 2020 takes place in 12 cities across 12 countries, including massively popular city break destinations like Rome, Dublin, Budapest, Munich and Amsterdam. Other cities such as Bilbao, Copenhagen and Bucharest offer refreshing, culturally important alternatives, tying in to the under-tourism trend.  All are relatively easy to reach from the UK and connected via low cost airlines, so offer a cost-effective option for a mass market campaign.

Put sales promotion in pole position with motor sports related travel

For motor sports enthusiasts, the 2020 Formula 1 calendar takes in some amazing long-haul destinations. Vietnam, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Abu Dhabi are all fantastic destinations to offer in promotions. Even once the thrill of the race has passed, these destinations offer year-round, aspirational appeal.

Find a hidden gem destination on a golf related promotion

The 2020 Ryder Cup is being hosted in Wisconsin, USA.  Aside from world class golf courses, did you know that the state capital Milwaukee is where Harley Davidson motorcycles was founded? Or that the state is home to mountains, forests and national parks? Perfect in the summer for hiking and winter for snow sports. The coverage for this hidden gem during the Ryder Cup will surely reveal this amazing state to a wider audience.

Gold medal standard sales promotions, inspired by the Olympics

The 2020 sporting calendar would not be complete without the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Japan, affectionately known as ‘the land of the rising sun’ and offers everything from frenetic city life to peaceful countryside retreats, experiencing ancient traditions. Visiting Japan is an aspiration for many Olympic fans and therefore could be a spectacular addition to a campaign.

Tying major sporting events to campaigns can drive an affinity to a buying group or personality type. Have a chat with Niki Pembroke on 0161 440 6600 or niki.pembroke@inspireemail.co.uk today about the best travel incentive option for your strategic business objectives.

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