For Wimbledon to maintain its world-renowned classy reputation, it needs to make the right connections – as Junior Copywriter & Proofreader Rachel Welland explores!
When you think about Wimbledon, what are the first words that come to mind? Tennis? Legends? Heroes? Prestige? Tradition? Pimm’s? Strawberries and cream?
For a tournament that’s been running since 1877, Wimbledon was always considered an upper-class affair. And at face value, this elite tennis tournament seems to tick the boxes of exclusive, selective and expensive.
However, its accessibility to the general public, the welcoming atmosphere and being the host of some of the greatest sporting moments in history give the event a familiar and inviting presence wherein spectators can ‘feel posh’ for a day and enjoy it!
So how exactly has Wimbledon been able to make its high-class status a unique and desirable selling point?
Precision in every shot, thanks to Slazenger
Wimbledon’s historic legacy is buoyed by the long-lasting relationships they’ve formed with sponsors and goods providers over many years. One of the most prevalent examples is their business relationship with the iconic British sporting brand Slazenger.
The company have been the official supplier of tennis balls to Wimbledon since 1902 – making it one of the longest tournament supplier partnerships in history.
As the game has evolved, so has the expectation and technology required to sustain such a partnership. And Slazenger more than rise to the challenge every year through their diligent work alongside top sports scientists at Loughborough University. Together, they make sure that they can keep up with the demands of the game. That means meticulously testing the weight, bounce and compression of every single ball so that they’re up to the challenge of a Rybakina serve, Świątek forehand, Zverev backhand, Alcaraz smash and Evans volley.
Slazenger not only provides over 50,000 tennis balls to the Wimbledon tournament each year, but their dedication to improving tennis goes far beyond their supplying role. They’re committed to youth development programmes and have endorsed top players, including Tim Henman.
Individually, each counterpart carries and continues to build a distinct and meaningful legacy. Together, they create an even bigger, more reputable and more admirable image.
From sports supplies to public supplies
A day out at Wimbledon is never complete without a refreshing alcoholic beverage in hand – even if it costs a fortune, you do it for the ‘Wimbledon experience’!
Pimm’s is arguably the most iconic beverage served at Wimbledon, and it’s been gracing the stands since 1971. As the start of Wimbledon serenades the start of summer, we all think the same thing: ‘go on then, let’s make a jug of Pimm’s!’
Interestingly, the brand has only been an official partner of the tournament since 2017. But we all know that the iconic British summer drink has been synonymous with Wimbledon for far longer than that, reinforcing British pastimes and delights that stir the curiosity of spectators from around the world.
But it’s not just British brands that are celebrated at Wimbledon. Like Pimm’s, Stella Artois has been served at Wimbledon for many years, but the Belgian beer brewmasters only became an official partner in 2023. A favoured tipple from around the world, it’s not difficult to see why this inclusive partnership is mutually beneficial to both funds and reputation in an event that welcomes players and spectators of all nationalities.
Now, picture this. It’s break point in the final set, the match has been tightly contested from the start, both players and the crowd take a deep breath and then…pop! Followed by a huge groan from the crowd. There’s always one…
If you were looking for another historic partner, then look no further. For those seeking the top end of Wimbledon’s classy hosting, a bottle of Lanson champagne goes down a treat. Lanson were founded back in 1760, before the Wimbledon championships and even before the French Revolution! They’ve closely served alongside the tournament since 1977 and became the official supplier of champagne in 2001.
Ace the alcohol-free Wimbledon traditions
But if it’s not an alcoholic refreshment that you’re after, don’t worry; their non-alcoholic partners are just as influential to Wimbledon’s branding.
Lavazza, the high-quality coffee brand, are increasing their profile across the tennis scene. Officially partnered with Wimbledon since 2011, the company have gone on to form further tennis partnerships, most noticeably in their media campaigns with the current men’s number one and fellow Italian Jannik Sinner. As a brand that’s becoming more and more associated with tennis, it certainly does Wimbledon a big favour to keep them on side!
Simply looking for a bit of much-needed hydration when a rogue heatwave hits the UK right in the middle of the tournament? Wimbledon also have that covered with their 16-year official partnership with the famous water brand Evian.
This brand is inescapable, no matter what capacity you’re enjoying the tournament. Not only is Evian the official water supplier for the public, but they’re also the supplier for the players, meaning that for every break in play, there’s an Evian bottle on display.
Snagging a crucial partnership – just before the famous rollerblading babies advert from all the way back in 2009 – spearheaded direct involvement of tennis players including Stanislas Wawrinka, Frances Tiafoe, Garbiñe Muguruza and Emma Raducanu as part of Evian’s ad campaigns or global ambassador programmes, giving Wimbledon even more of an exclusive edge.
Keeping up with the trends
It’s not just the evolution of the game and equipment that need to be closely monitored, the very appearance of the championships also needs to be kept firmly in check. Wimbledon, also known as the All-England Tennis Club, are notorious for requiring all-white attire for the players, who recruit different sports brands every year to provide them with the approved kit. But it’s not just the players who need to look the part, this also falls to the umpires and lines judges – signal in Polo Ralph Lauren.
Since 2006, Polo Ralph Lauren have been the official outfitter of the championships and provide the official attire for all on-court officials. In 2022, they launched a redesign of all the uniforms, which combined modern fabrics with the heritage and class of both the Ralph Lauren and Wimbledon brands.
People flocked to the gift shops to buy their own outfit replicas to showcase the look, which demonstrated that Wimbledon goes far beyond being just the host of a tennis tournament. Every prestigious element that forms the experience is noticed, admired and desirable.
Beep beep! The final stop on our tour
Finally, a look at another dual British partnership. At first, it may come across as slightly random – why would a sports tournament need an official transportation partner?
But since 2015, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) have been Wimbledon’s official vehicle. 179 vehicles are supplied for the event and work hard to transport players, their support teams and officials to and from the tournament.
The latest Range Rover and Range Rover Sport plug-in electric hybrid models will all feature during the fortnight and be charged at the venue, using 100% renewable energy to support pure electric driving modes.
What’s more, Wimbledon are signalling their support of eco-conscious driving with their JLR partnership. Given the location in London, there’s a sense that this move is almost imperative to showcase on the global stage and subsequently winning the approval of people around the world.
Will you be a physical or sofa spectator for this year’s championship? Which players have your support? And which brands do you associate most with Wimbledon? Let us know!
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