Ad of the week – Andy Murray sponsors

by Stratton Craig

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Twitter’s burgeoning popularity means that rapid response marketing has never been more important. Tweeting spur-of-the-moment comments to wittily encapsulate an event, and at the same time plug a brand, comes with clear risks – no one wants their tweet going down like a lead balloon. But it can also be startlingly successful, and can spark wide-reaching customer interaction.
Murray causes a Twitter storm
On 7 July 2013 Andy Murray became the first British man to win the Wimbledon final for 77 years.  His victory took Twitter by storm, with #andymurray, Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic, Fred Perry and #77years all quickly trending in the UK. As you might expect, Murray’s sponsors immediately looked to capitalise.
RBS neatly tied the event’s historical importance to its own lengthy sponsorship of Murray, tweeting: ‘Congratulations to @Andy_Murray for making history today. We’re immensely proud to have supported you over the last 10 years #DecadeWithAndy’
Clothing brand Fred Perry also tweeted support: ‘Congratulations @Andy_Murray on your @Wimbledon victory’. In doing so, it gently reminded tennis fans that it was established by the last British man to win Wimbledon 77 years ago.
Emotive tweeting
But the most popular tweets were sent by Head Tennis and Adidas, who both posted pictures with the tagline ‘Wimbledone’. Though perhaps not the most elaborate example of wordplay, the sense of relief and triumph associated with the phrase perfectly captured feelings that the nation and Murray undoubtedly shared.
Adidas’ tweet was particularly well-received, and retweeted thousands of times. Surprisingly emotive, it read: ‘After the hurt, pain and tears. He came back. Stronger. Faster. Better. #allinformurray the 2013 Wimbledon Champion.’
Referring to Murray’s devastating defeat to Roger Federer in the 2012 Wimbledon final, the tweet was perfectly illustrated by a photograph of Murray gazing at the sky, his arms raised in victory. A usually composed player, the tweet captured his moment of rare elation with both image words – a considerable achievement in just 140 characters.
A victory for Murray – and his sponsors
Just like the 2013 Super Bowl, in which Oreo’s quick tweeting excelled, Murray’s Wimbledon victory presented a real opportunity for companies to engage with a jubilant and receptive nation. A strong tone of voice, and a flexible approach to social media, can give companies the confidence and proficiency to quickly respond to customers and events on social platforms, allowing them to edge ahead of their competitors.