Plan B™
The Agency Alternative
WILSON
Challenge
The tennis racquet industry is largely driven by technological advancements by manufacturers—so much so that many new product launches suffer from skepticism on the part of players. With every racquet maker making outrageous claims about how their racquets are the most advanced, there was so much noise in the marketplace that none of the claims rang true.
In this challenging market, Wilson Tennis turned to Plan B to develop a truly relevant, distinctive campaign to support the launch of their new racquet which, ironically, actually did represent a technological leap forward over their previous racquets, as well as their competitors.
Insight
Plan B had the unique advantage of having a former nationally ranked amateur tennis player on staff. Drawing on his insights, as well as research into the mindset of other passionate players at all levels, we realized that all the “technospeak” generated by most racquet manufacturers was largely flying over the heads of the target audience.
Players weren’t interested in the technical reasons why one racquet was more advanced than another. They were far more concerned with how the racquet performed — and how it made them feel about their game. The racquet was seen as a source of confidence, and a confident player is almost always a stronger player. Players still saw value in using the “latest and greatest” racquet — they just wanted to know how that technology translated on the court, rather than in the way it worked “under the hood.”
Solution
Plan B sought to create a metaphorical connection between the technology behind the racquet, and the way it made players feel when they used it. We found synergy in the design of the racquet frame itself, which featured “leaf springs” around the outside of the frame—and the carbon fiber nanotechnology that made the design possible.
The “leaf spring” design visually resembled wings coming off the sides of the racquet. Leveraging that insight, we developed a unique identity around Wilson Nano Graphite — or WnG — and positioned the new Wilson WnG as the racquet that would “elevate your game” and allow players to “play above the competition.”
Executionally, we leveraged Wilson’s relationship with the world’s top players, Roger Federer and Serena Williams, making them the stars of a distinctive print ad campaign that created a visual representation of how “WnG” made players feel like they were flying.
Results
The breakthrough campaign that Plan B created for the new Wilson WnG helped make the launch an unqualified success, creating a distinct brand for the new racquet that helped create an emotional connection with the target audience, rather than assaulting them with sterile technical jargon. Our ads created clear space in an overcrowded market, and helped reinforce Wilson’s reputation as an innovative industry leader.