The ATP unveiled its dramatic new advertising campaign – ‘FEEL IT’ – on the eve of the BNP Paribas Masters. The multi-million dollar campaign, featuring ATP stars including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Andy Murray and James Blake, showcases the sport’s core values as a one-on-one gladiatorial battle, full of intensity and passion. Developed following extensive consumer research, ‘FEEL IT’ pre-launched at the BNP Paribas Masters and will be rolled out globally throughout 2008.

Created as a flexible and adaptable central resource that can be utilised in any of the ATP’s 63 tournament markets globally, the campaign has been specifically designed to include any player featured on the ATP Tour. The campaign has developed a full suite of above and below the line executions including TV spots, billboards, online banners, virals, merchandise, fan giveaways and PR stunts. Created by Canadian agency TAXI 2, the multi-media campaign uses wild animals, fire and waves as well as special effects to produce spectacular visuals and video footage that emphasises the power and intensity of the ATP Tour.

“Anyone who has sat a few yards away when a player like Andy Roddick or Roger Federer serves a tennis ball knows there are few sports that can rival men’s tennis for sheer excitement, intensity and power,” said Phil Anderton, ATP Chief Marketing Officer. “‘FEEL IT’ is a new global campaign designed to help our 63 tournaments use the raw excitement of our sport to connect with fans and encourage them to experience the unique sensation of live men’s tennis.”

Roger Federer, ATP World No.1, who features in a creative showing past champions of the men’s game, said: “I think ‘FEEL IT’ is a very good idea and I like the legends aspect with all the other great players on my photo. It makes me proud as I’m not only playing against the current players but also against history. The ‘FEEL IT’ campaign looks good and we need something like this as there are a lot of new players coming up as well as players that are well established.”

Scotland’s Andy Murray said: “I think ‘FEEL IT’ is a really good idea. Sometimes when you watch tennis on TV you don’t understand the intensity that the players are playing with. This kind of campaign can really show that to the fans. I like the flames coming out of my racquet. I like to think that when I hit the ball, there’s a bit of fire coming off my racquet!”

Argentina’s David Nalbandian, who features in one of the special effects virals, agreed: “‘FEEL IT’ is a very good idea. It shows fans what we all feel for the sport and anything that can help the sport of tennis, whether it’s through the ATP or the players, to attract more fans is excellent. The video showing me smash a giant racquet into a bench is very funny.”

The pre-launch at the BNP Paribas Masters featured a full execution of the ‘FEEL IT’ campaign across Paris, including city-wide billboards, bus backs, player-based stunts, unique merchandise, and TV spots for rights holding broadcasters.

Speaking on the eve of the tournament, Jean-Francois Caujolle, BNP Paribas Masters Tournament Director said that he welcomed the ‘FEEL IT’ campaign’s role in promoting the prestigious Paris event: “‘FEEL IT’ is a central part of our promotional and marketing plan for the 2007 tournament. With a wide selection of executions in use across the city the campaign has already made a huge impact and is set to turn Paris into the home of men’s tennis next week.”

The ‘FEEL IT’ campaign is one part of a wider marketing initiative to support the wide-ranging changes being undertaken by the ATP. A new worldwide calendar structure will launch in 2009, as the ATP undergoes its largest set of changes since its creation in 1990. As well as new tournaments, investment into facilities of more than $800m and a record breaking level of prize money, the ATP will also introduce a new brand look and identity based on extensive consumer research and designed to make the Tour more fan friendly. A number of ATP Tournaments are already interested in running the ‘FEEL IT’ campaign in 2008, with the prestigious Rogers Cup, a Masters Series event, among them. Michael Downey, Chief Executive of Tennis Canada said: ‘We can’t wait to use ‘FEEL IT’ across all communication vehicles for our Rogers Cup in Toronto. The “FEEL IT’ campaign is a sports industry best practice. The ATP has created a world class, consumer tested campaign with built in flexibility to meet the different needs of their large tournament base.”

Article from ATPtennis.com

From Nadal to the Sri Lankan cricketers, champions aiming at becoming the world’s best are rushing to India for success. Teams and players from across the world are scouting for analytical software that will help improve their games. And a host of Indian companies are playing ball.

Sample this: world No 2 Nadal is consulting Swantha software to figure out ways to beat Federer on grass. The Bangalore-based firm’s software, christened ‘Half Volley’, provides frame-by-frame analysis of how Federer plays his trademark forehand shots and executes those electric cross-court returns. Nadal’s certainly got an ace up his sleeve when he faces Federer next.

And he is not alone here. If Sri Lanka’s cricketing success is attributed to its well-crafted strategy against opponents, it has much to do with Chennai-based Meru Consultants and Technologies. The Sri Lankan board sources cricket analysing software from this company.

Says Meru CEO P Sankaran, “They use our product to understand how the opponents play and devise game plans based on our analysis.” For about a decade now, India has been the world’s biggest hub for software outsourcing. But sports process outsourcing (SPO) is relatively nascent. The segment is currently generating annual revenues of about Rs 100 crore. However, experts say this segment will grow at over 40% year on year.

“There are immense opportunities. We expect that we would be a $15-million company by 2010, thanks to demand from global clients,” says Prasanna Raman, one of Swantha’s three promoters. Nadal—the king of clay with a 8-6 head-to-head record against Federer—had a brush with Swantha’s software when he came visiting last year.

Since then, Raman and his team have been working hard to get the software ready for launch at the Chennai Open in January 2008. “Mr Nadal is in touch with us. He wants to use the product and we are scheduled to meet in January when he’s in India,” says Raman.

Article from Indiatimes.com