October 21, 2015
Maria Sharapova for Tag Heuer
Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer is hosting a tennis match on a floating court in Singapore to actualize its advertising mantra, “Don’t crack under pressure.”
The court is scheduled to be unveiled on Oct. 22 after it took crews 10 days to complete, with the reveal becoming an evening event on the tail end of the WTA Finals in Singapore. Staging unique events can help an event sponsor stand out among the noise and leave a lasting impression that may determine consumers' future purchases.
Floating on
The floating tennis court will stretch out across the water at Clifford Pier and weighs about the same as 10 cars. This will be the stage for an exhibition game between five-time world number one and Tag Heuer ambassador Maria Sharapova and former tennis player Michael Chang.
Guests can watch the match from the deck at Clifford Pier and those on Marina Bay will get an unprecedented view. Due to its location, Ms. Sharapova, who has just recovered from a forearm injury, will be arriving by boat.
The match will see Ms. Sharapova and Mr. Chang, the youngest Grand Slam winner, compete in a friendly mixed-doubles game. The tennis icons will be paired with 19-year-old Angeline Devi Devanthiran and 17-year-old Shaheed Alam, who represented Singapore at the 28th SEA Games in June.
Tag Heuer's save the date notification for the event
A charity rally will also be held where Tag Heuer will donate $100 per rally for the longest rally played. Also, the event will grant the wish of 8-year-old Joshua Wong, who suffers from non-Hodgkin lymphoma and wanted to meet a professional athlete.
Tag Heuer has partnered with Make-A-Wish Foundation for this aspect of the event and will have Joshua present a limited-edition SG50 Aquaracer timepiece to Ms. Sharapova on the floating court.
The watchmaker has used tennis-focused events to reach wider audiences in the past.
For instance, Tag Heuer used the latest live-streaming technology to share fun and exciting events with its followers.
The brand hosted a tennis match outside its store on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, pitting brand ambassadors Ms. Sharapova and Nei Nishikori against each other for a lighthearted game. By streaming the event on Periscope, Tag Heuer ensured that consumers around the world had real-time access to the match as it unfolded (see story).
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