The Tour de France and the power of film aesthetics
For many years, the Tour de France has rightly maintained its reputation as the largest and most-watched cycling race in the world. This Grand Tour, which takes place every July, is not only a sporting event but also a global advertising platform where many brands test the effectiveness of innovative formats. Live broadcasts of the Tour are provided by more than a hundred television stations in over 190 countries around the world, with a cumulative audience of over 3.5 billion viewers. The individual stages are filmed from the air, from motorcycles and from stationary cameras, making the Tour an ideal space for advertising and product placement. The race thus boasts a distinctive cinematic aesthetic.
During the Tour, virtually all major advertising formats enjoy popularity – from traditional television ads to sponsorship integrations and logos along the route to digital storytelling and fan activities. Their implementation is overseen by the advertising and compliance departments of the main organiser, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), with individual competition jerseys linked to specific sponsors. The iconic Yellow Jersey is sponsored by LCL Banque, the climber’s classification is sponsored by E.Leclerc, and the points classification is sponsored by Škoda Auto. The highlight of the promotional activities is the Publicity Caravan – more than 160 advertising vehicles that drive in front of the peloton and form a specific type of ‘live’ advertising parade.
One of the most legendary advertising campaigns in the history of the Tour – and in the entire history of sports marketing – is considered to be Nike’s Chalkbot from 2009. As part of the LIVESTRONG campaign, implemented in collaboration with Wieden+Kennedy and Deeplocal, a robot was created that printed yellow messages from fans on the track during the stages. These could be sent via Twitter, SMS or a web form. The robot then applied them directly to the asphalt, creating a visually powerful and emotionally charged spectacle. Nike thus succeeded in connecting the digital world with the physical space of the race and transforming the Tour into a real megaphone for the collective consciousness of the cycling community. Chalkbot printed over 36,000 messages and won the prestigious Grand Prix award at the Cannes Lions Festival. To this day, it continues to inspire sports marketers around the world.
Video: CANNES LIONS 2010 GRAN PRIX - NIKE LIVESTRONG Chalkbot
Wimbledon and the power of traditional elegance
The elegant Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, making it one of the most attractive sports advertising platforms. In keeping with its longstanding tradition, this Grand Slam tennis tournament continues to embody the hallmarks of British gentlemanliness and a refined reserve. Wimbledon is broadcast in more than 200 countries, but the BBC plays a leading role in television broadcasting. Every year, it is watched by more than a billion viewers who expect a certain established aesthetic – a steady camera, the contrast of white outfits and green grass, and the absence of distracting elements. All this shapes the distinctive Wimbledon identity.
This Grand Slam tournament has an elite feel to it – and in many ways, that is exactly what it is. This also applies to the sponsors, who are carefully vetted and selected by the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Members of this prestigious club include Slazenger (manufacturer of tennis balls), Rolex (official timekeeper), IBM (digital technology provider), Evian (water supplier for athletes) and HSBC (prestigious British bank). All of the above know that Wimbledon is a space for subliminal marketing, so they can only dream of aggressive branding. The way forward is precise brand placement and content marketing with high added value, e.g. in the form of data analyses, personalised digital experiences, educational applications and the like.
A prime example is the 2009 “Seer” campaign, backed by IBM, the main technology partner. It was an application that used AR technology to allow viewers to watch data about players and matches in real time on their mobile phones. Users simply pointed their phones at the court and were shown detailed statistics, information about player positions and much more. Seer was unique because it was one of the first uses of AR in sports ever. IBM thus confirmed that even a prestigious and rather conservative brand like Wimbledon can be a pioneer in the use of revolutionary technologies. The application is still used as an example of good practice for marketing students, and IBM itself builds on it in many ways in its technology strategy. Wimbledon embodies the belief that advertising does not have to be loud and boisterous to be effective; it can also succeed by emphasising precision and refined aesthetics.
Video: CANNES LIONS 2010 SILVER - SEER WIMBLEDON / IBM
The US Open and the power of pop culture phenomenon
The second and final Grand Slam of the summer also occupies an important place in the summer calendar of tennis fans around the world. However, the US Open, the US Grand Slam, does not seem to have much in common with Wimbledon – it is the biggest summer sporting event in New York, which tends to cultivate a tradition of pop culture phenomenon. This Grand Slam in Flushing Meadows could rival many festivals, and its marketing style is correspondingly proactive and megalomaniacal. The US Open is broadcast in more than 180 countries, where it is watched by a cumulative audience of over 700 million tennis enthusiasts. Streaming platforms such as ESPN+ and HBO Max, and visual social media such as TikTok and Instagram have been an integral part of the US Open’s identity for several years.
The US Open’s marketing is renowned for its dynamism. From a sponsor’s perspective, it is essentially a kind of gladiatorial arena—not unlike a commercial break during the Super Bowl. Traditional sponsors such as IBM, Chase, Ralph Lauren, Evian, Lavazza, Emirates and Tiffany & Co. compete every summer for the key evening broadcast slot, which traditionally attracts the attention of millions of viewers, especially in the important markets of the US and Southeast Asia. US Open marketing is therefore packed with advertising formats ranging from experiential marketing (interactive lounge and live activation) to lifestyle branding, gamification and digital personalisation. Just as Wimbledon is purely British, the US Open is unashamedly and proudly American.
American Express (Amex) has the strongest historical presence and association with Flushing Meadows, having also backed the iconic Super Rally advertising campaign in 2019. At its heart was an experiential activation based on motion tracking, which allowed visitors to play interactive tennis of the future against virtual opponents. Their movements were captured by a camera and transmitted to a digital screen; they received points and rewards for successful shots and could share their experience with friends on social media. Fans quickly fell in love with Super Rally, and even now it is regarded as a pioneering example of gamification in sport – inspiring other sports organisations such as the NBA, NHL and F1. More importantly, it showed that experience can surpass performance marketing. To this day, it remains one of the most ingeniously crafted experiential campaigns in sports history.
Video: American Express Super Rally 04: Ex Awards 2019
The EURO and the power of national heroism
Although the UEFA European Football Championship is only held once every four years, when it does come around, it is talked about practically throughout June and July. In 2021, for example, the cumulative viewership of the tournament reached an astonishing 5.2 billion viewers, who watched the EURO on more than 130 television stations. Of course, European giants such as the BBC, ITV, ARD, TF1 and RAI were among them, but viewership via platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and official apps, including UEFA.tv, also played an enormous role. The ethos of national pride and the profiling of domestic heroes is key to the EURO’s identity, which is also reflected in its marketing. This literally changes depending on the specific market – viewers in Europe will see a completely different advertising mix than viewers in Asian countries, for example.
UEFA’s marketing strategy is based on an effective combination of branding, video content, gamification and outdoor advertising. The advertising spots featuring national heroes, who often team up with prestigious brands and act as their ambassadors, are very iconic. Virtual banners and 3D advertising are ubiquitous, with many LED screens reserved for regional advertising tailored to the target market. The social media accounts of UEFA and its major partners are brimming with content during the tournament, promoting the EURO’s reputation as a highly anticipated cultural event. It is no coincidence that the main sponsors include the biggest global players in their fields – Coca-Cola, Heineken, Vivo, Booking.com, Qatar Airways, TikTok, Lidl, Volkswagen, Alipay and Adidas, the official equipment supplier for the players.
However, one of the most iconic campaigns promoting the EURO was created by Nike, which was not even an official partner. It was a film-style commercial from 2008 directed by Guy Ritchie, shot from the perspective of a player who worked his way up from an amateur club to the EURO final. The campaign is called Take It to the Next Level and is a journey through the personal experiences of every promising player who wants to make it to the top. It starts in the regional league, but in the end, we see him fighting against legends such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rooney in a sold-out stadium. The campaign was extremely successful, garnering over 20 million views in its first few weeks, even before the era of viral videos. It has repeatedly been rated as one of the best football commercials and set a new standard for advertising narratives based on subjective camera work, cinematic aesthetics and storytelling instead of endless product lists.
Video: Nike: Take It To The Next Level - [Director's Cut]
F1 and the power of responsible innovation
Although the Formula 1 (F1) race schedule covers the entire year, the summer period from June to September is usually the highlight of the season, featuring the most anticipated Grand Prix races in the United Kingdom, Hungary, Belgium and Italy. In recent years, F1 has surpassed 1.5 billion viewers, and its audience continues to grow. On social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, it is even the fastest-growing sports brand, with over 60 million followers. However, television remains a key platform, thanks in part to partnerships with high-profile broadcasters such as Sky Sports, ESPN, DAZN, Canal+ and RTL. Nevertheless, the organisers are also placing high hopes in their own F1 TV platform.
In the marketing world, F1 resonates as a synonym for advertising high-tech and high-glamour products and services. That is why it attracts the world’s leading innovators, technology enthusiasts and those who, on both the demand and supply sides, have a penchant for luxury goods. A very popular format is team branding, where companies become direct sponsors of individual racing teams, but also classic trackside branding, where sponsor promotion is placed around individual circuits. Other formats – experiential marketing, livestreams, data storytelling and more – are then a de facto necessity associated with the prestige of the F1 brand. Many brands create global and local sponsorship layers – for example, the Saudi oil company Aramco is a partner of circuits at home, but also in Hungary, for example. Heineken, on the other hand, profiles itself as a voice calling for responsible driving. The sponsorship strategies of Rolex, DHL, MSC Cruises, Qatar Airways, Crypto.com, Lenovo and many others also have their own specific features.
Heineken is responsible for one of the most iconic and, above all, educational campaigns called When You Drive, Never Drink. Launched in 2016, it remains successful today in multiple variations. It is inextricably linked to the name of three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, combining ambassadorship with classic TV commercials and track branding. However, its message is more important – it focuses on preventing drink-driving, and the slogan “When You Drive, Never Drink” is part of every F1 race sponsored by Heineken. The original ad shows Stewart consistently refusing to drink despite many temptations, ending with a scene where he gets into an F1 car. The campaign’s leitmotif is: “Legends inspire responsible behaviour.” This is a great example of social responsibility in sports marketing and confirmation that F1 is no longer just about speed and technology. F1 is a lifestyle, a status symbol and a global platform for innovation and value branding all in one.
Video: Heineken “When You Drive, Never Drink”
Sports marketing is no longer just about logos on jerseys. The biggest summer sporting events show that a truly strong brand today succeeds not just through budget, but above all through creativity, technological sophistication and cultural sensitivity. While the Tour de France relies on visual continuity and physical presence, Wimbledon scores points through consistent aesthetics and quiet elegance. The US Open focuses on interactive experiences, the EURO on the emotions of national heroes, and Formula 1 on innovation and value messaging. Successful campaigns have one thing in common: the courage to think differently, to find the soul of a given sport – and then translate it into the language of the brand. For marketers, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. In an era of information overload, a meaningful experience and a powerful story are the best advertising.