The Campaign

'Attention Grabbing and Useful' were our dual guiding principles in the creation of The Mastercard Beach Club. We guaranteed attention with first ever three storey brand activation in the Grand Slam Oval – and the event's first ever on-site pool (actually, we built two!). A structure that took many months of design and governmental approvals to even be constructed, it allowed tennis fans and Mastercard VIP guests to experience the tennis in a whole new way. We gave them the famous Aussie welcome, the best seats in the house and a novel way to beat the heat of summer. Useful and Beautiful. An experience fans would not quickly forget and one that would impact their perception and preference for the Mastercard brand long-term.

The Brief

Not available from client

Creative Execution

The epic build was split into two key areas. The pavilion downstairs open to all fans, featured two pools with the best view of the tennis. Our live interactive Bondi Beach Video Wall delivered the local beach life mixed with Mastercard brand messaging. Upstairs a VIP experience for corporate guests, complete with technology displays, rooftop bar and beauty spa delivered one hell of a premium experience. All were treated to acoustic music sets with upcoming Australian artists, and hosted by our iconic Lifeguards. We capped it all off with Priceless Surprise visits from tennis royalty including Leyton Hewitt, Chris Evert and Jim Courier. The Beach Club became an iconic part of the AO and was loved by all. Lines were long each day and even the world’s media joined us for live crosses for the rooftop and a dip in the pool.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

As the largest, highest and most eye-catching activation space at the AO, The Mastercard Beach Club dominated the skyline and the airwaves. Internationally, the tournament was broadcast to more than 200 territories across 15 different broadcast partners. As a result, we generated over 130 million impressions and reached over 13.4 million tennis fans on ground and at home. More than 15,000 fans visited the Beach Club and were treated to over 160 hours of entertainment. Our branded social content and fans posts from The Beach Club resulted in a massive 11.52% engagement rate. Most importantly, this massive reach converted to relevance, with Mastercard scoring a 25% increase in ‘a brand for people like me’ amongst AO Fans post event. “If I could give a trophy for the best 2018 activation, Mastercard would be it.” said Richard Heaselgrave, Head of Commercial, Tennis Australia Cheering on winners, whilst wearing your swimmers. Priceless.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

The Australian Open. There is no event that epitomises the Australian summer more than the AO. Great food, great entertainment, great weather, the greats of the game. But we noticed something was missing – something locals and visitors alike associate with the Sunburnt Country. What is an Aussie summer without a beach? Mastercard, as a proud partner of the AO, found a way to open a world of priceless possibilities for fans, from near and far, by bringing the beach to the courts in 2018.

The Australian Open is Australia’s largest global sporting event and takes over hearts, minds and TV screens right across the planet in January each year. With millions of eyes on Melbourne Tennis Park for just two short weeks, and lots of big name sponsors fighting for attention, we needed to make a big splash. Not just to rise above the noise, but to reclaim ownership of our Priceless positioning and build brand relevance in Australia. Aside from world class action on the court, the only other guarantee at the AO is scorching hot days. So our strategy was to not only build a visually arresting brand space, but to provide utility for fans. A place to escape the heat and relax in a space unlike anything else at the event. Equal parts Useful and Beautiful.