MOVE IT 2011

CASE STUDY: GET CLOSER TO ANDY MURRAY
AGENCY: RADIATOR PR
CLIENT: HEAD RACQUET SPORTS
SECTOR: SPORTS
TIMING: 6TH JUNE 2011– 5TH JULY 2011
BUDGET: £10,000

BACKGROUND:HEAD Tennis, official racquet sponsor of Andy Murray, created a Facebook campaign to support Andy during the Queen’s Club Tournament (AEGON Championship) and Wimbledon. The campaign, entitled “Get Closer to Andy Murray” was designed to allow fans to interact with Andy in totally new and unexpected ways, allowing them to leave messages for Andy Murray that could possibly be printed on his Wimbledon HEAD tennis bag.

BRIEF: HEAD Racquet Sports appointed Radiator PR to help drive awareness of the “Get Closer to Andy Murray” Facebook campaign through PR and online seeding and to increase interaction and visits from fans on Facebook.

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES:

• To drive views of the Andy Murray viral video entitled “Get Closer to Andy Murray”;
• To increase traffic and “likes” to the HEAD Tennis Facebook site;
• To increase awareness of HEAD’s campaign and sponsorship of Andy Murray in the UK during AEGON Championship and Wimbledon;

STRATEGY: Radiator developed a three tiered strategy:

1. Secure amplification coverage pre-launch using one-to-one interviews with Andy
2. Launch – announce campaign to all media, securing competition coverage and digital seeding of ‘Get Closer’ viral
3. Maximise opportunities with media during both the AEGON Championship and Wimbledon using our assets
- giant Facebook thumbs, as seen in the ‘Get Closer’ video;
- Signed HEAD Racquets for competitions
- A copy of the Radical Tennis bag, which, as part of the Facebook campaign had goodwill messages from Andy’s fans printed on it.

Phase 1: Securing amplification coverage

Radiator organised a press day with Andy Murray, inviting the UK’s biggest media to attend for 1-1 interviews. Titles included the Metro, The Sunday Times, Shortlist, Talksport Radio, The Sun and The Daily Record. The agency negotiated to secure that each piece of coverage included details of the viral video, links to the HEAD Tennis Facebook page and featured the video on their websites.

Phase 2: Launch

The HEAD ‘Get Closer’ Facebook page launched on the 6th June 2011 and Radiator announced the campaign and the viral video to all key print, online and broadcast media across lifestyle, sport, national news, sports and picture desks. The agency unveiled the story of the campaign with stills from the viral video showing Andy in a new and unexpected way! Specifically, the image of Andy in the shower drew a lot of attention!

The ‘Get Closer to Andy Murray’ video was seeded online, using the Youtube embed codes to target sports, tennis and lifestyle sites. These included news pieces in Blokely, Zest, Tennis X, Tennis Perspective and ‘viral of the week’ on Stuff.tv.

In support of the news announcement, and to bring to life the competition element of the HEAD Facebook campaign, Radiator secured a series of competitions in print and online to win a signed Head Tennis Pro Radical racquet. Coverage included Fanhouse UK, First News, Look.co.uk, Zoo Online, The National Student, Buzz and MSN. All coverage included links and information to the HEAD Facebook page, with the online competitions also hosting the viral.

Phase 3: Maximise opportunities during the tournaments

Following the launch, and to continue to drive views and awareness during AEGON Championship and Wimbledon:

- Radiator used Murray’s progress as news hooks to generate more coverage with national press e.g. his victory at AEGON Championship, every match won at Wimbledon.

- Distributed images of Andy’s HEAD tennis Bag (with fans messages printed on it) which generated national media interest across every national newspaper.

Radiator supplied the BBC AEGON Championship and Wimbledon production team with copies of the viral, giant Facebook thumbs and even a replica of the Radical Bag. The HEAD ‘Get Closer’ Facebook site and bag were discussed on several occasions during the coverage for both tournaments.

Results

- Over 110,00 views of the ‘Get Closer’ viral on Youtube in just three weeks
- An increase of 25,000 fans on the HEAD Tennis Facebook page, bringing the total over 105,000.
- 11 amplification features including the Sunday Times, The Sun, Talksport Radio, Shortlist and Metro
- 170 pieces of print and online coverage over a range of different media
- 2 piece of national TV coverage on the BBC from their coverage of both the AEGON Championship and Wimbledon

ABOUT HEAD

HEAD NV is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of premium branded sports equipment. Its roots trace back to 1950 as Howard Head, the inventor of the first metal ski, founded the company.

HEAD’s business is organized into four divisions: Winter Sports, Racquet Sports, Diving and Licensing. HEAD’s product range includes tennis, squash, paddle and racquetball racquets, tennis balls, tennis footwear, badminton products, alpine skis, ski bindings and ski boots, snowboards, snowboard bindings and boots.

HEAD holds leading positions in all of our product markets and its products are endorsed by some of the world’s top athletes.