Michelob Ultra paired up with and ESPN for an initiative which pits John McEnroe against his toughest opponent ever – himself – in a (retired) athlete versus Artificial Intelligence (AI) tennis match.
The Anheuser-Busch InBev brand’s project, which continues the brand’s ongoing sports marketing approach built around happiness and positive participation, highlights the career of US tennis legend McEnroe as he plays against five virtual versions of himself created by computer simulations, AI, Machine Learning (ML) and ball return machines and finds joy in the journey.
The marketing project, which runs with the brand’s ongoing tagline ‘It’s Only Worth It If You Enjoy It’ tagline, emphasises how McEnroe didn’t always enjoy himself at the time – You cannot be serious. It’s only worth it if you enjoy it. #McEnroeVsMcEnroe’ – but certainly does now as it enables him to reflect on his career and find enjoyment through all of its stages.
The 45-minute initiative blends the real, physical world with the virtually recreated past in what Michelob Ultra and ESPN describe as ‘the world’s first hybrid tennis match’.
The real/virtual hybrid match was promoted from 29 April through a digital-first ‘McEnroe vs McEnroe: Coming Soon’ teaser phase and aired on ESPN on 7 May.
Tennis legend John McEnroe is finally meeting his match: himself. On May 7th, get ready for a sporting event unlike any other. #McEnroeVsMcEnroe pic.twitter.com/nSsS72QbOf
— Michelob ULTRA (@MichelobULTRA) April 29, 2022
The brand’s objective is to give viewers “a unique, action-packed match between past and present” while simultaneously celebrating “the personal story of a tennis legend” – what the brand is also describing as McEnroe’s “journey to joy.”
“The message is simple, as he looks back at his career he is reminding us all to enjoy the journey. To have fun out there in whatever we’re doing,” explained Michelob Ultra US & Global Vice President of Marketing Ricardo Marques. “We chose important years in his career [such as] 1979, which is when he came into the circuit,” Marques said. “Eighty one, that’s when he made it to the top for the first time in his career. Then 1982 was a bit of a down year, the year where he was struggling. And then in 1984 he came back in full force to rank at number one again, and then in 1992 he retires.”
“Celebrating the legendary career of John McEnroe – one of the most legendary athletes on the planet – is powerful way to deliver Michelob Ultra’s ethos as a brand,” said continued Marques. “The goal was to create something that looked and felt like a real tennis match between tennis legend John McEnroe … and John McEnroe. Using cutting-edge technology, Michelob Ultra has challenged John to a match against five different avatars of himself that have been programmed and designed to play and look similarly to how John did throughout his career. With so many memorable moments over the course of his career, we collaborated with John to select ones that felt the most personal to him: 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984 and 1992 — his final year on tour.”
“Who wouldn’t want an opportunity to literally be able to look back at where you started and celebrate how much you’ve grown and learned along the way?” commented McEnroe. “I’ve had highs and lows just like everybody else, and what I’ve learned over time is to appreciate the journey. No matter what happens, you have to find time to savour the experience and remember it’s only worth it if you enjoy it.”
Comment
Well known for his incredibly playing career (which included 7 Grand Slam singles wins) and his impressive tennis media analysis, McEnroe – now aged 63 – was famous for his sublime volleying and touch and his colourful on-court behaviour. Most famously his notorious ‘You cannot be serious’ line questioning the umpire’s line call during the 1981 Wimbledon Championships.
This project adds some levity to McEnroe’s uniquely skilful, yet confrontational reputation, whilst it also reconfirms Michelob Ultra’s positioning as the beer brand that always reminds people to prioritise joy.
Michelob Ultra, a light beer which uses sports as a major marketing pillar (with athlete ambassadors including Serena Williams and Usain Bolt to name just two), has grown significantly in recent years and boasted $3.1bn sales in 2020. The beer’s success coincides with an aggressive sports strategy that has included enlisting A-listers like Usain Bolt and Serena Williams.
This campaign joins a growing number of beer (and other) brands who have been leveraging emerging technology, digital experiences and the metaverse to stand out from the competition and this virtual stunt will gain traction from its tech novelty, its celebrity appeal and its launch timing which leverages the main summer tennis season.
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