National Bank Open Transforms into a Tennis Playground Experience

The National Bank Open rebrands as a cultural and social tennis event with Sid Lee's 'Welcome to the Tennis Playground' campaign, targeting new and younger audiences.

A Broader Vision for Canada’s Tennis Marquee Events

Nathalie Tremblay, VP of marketing strategy and customer experience at Tennis Canada, explains that the new approach, created in collaboration with Sid Lee, expands the event’s appeal beyond centre court. The WTA and ATP tournaments now aim to engage audiences who value social interactions and lifestyle experiences as much as the matches themselves.

“Welcome to the Tennis Playground” Campaign

At the heart of the rebrand is the “Welcome to the Tennis Playground” campaign. A series of 15-second lifestyle films highlights casual, slice-of-life moments surrounding the tournament. This creative direction helps the event resonate with a broader audience, especially casual fans who may not follow professional tennis closely.

Expanding the Event to Attract New Fans

With the tournament now adopting a 12-day format and a 96-player singles main draw, Tennis Canada is using this expansion to increase engagement and market share among younger demographics. These fans are often drawn to events for their entertainment value and social opportunities in addition to the sport itself.

National Bank Open Tennis Playground Campaign Visual 1

Balancing Brand Building and Ticket Sales

“Our campaign is really quite focused on increasing our market share amongst the younger demographic that is a little bit more tied to the entertainment value for these types of events,” says Nathalie Tremblay. “It’s really focusing, obviously, always on the sales activation, which is essentially based around the product itself and players and the prestige of these world-class athletes, but also brand building.”

Redefining the National Bank Open Experience

By blending world-class tennis with cultural and social programming, the National Bank Open evolves into a holistic experience. The event now appeals to both devoted tennis followers and new audiences looking for memorable summer entertainment in Canada.

National Bank Open Tennis Playground Campaign Visual 2