World Tennis

Challenge

‍

World Tennis, formerly The International Tennis Federation (ITF), lies at the heart of the tennis ecosystem as the sport’s governing body, with a mandate to grow the game. But the ITF was largely invisible to recreational players and fans, who didn’t even know what the acronym stood for.

 

Internally the initial narrative centred on the ‘what’ not ‘why’ and there was no consensus on it. And with the rise of Padel and Pickle Ball tennis was in danger of losing relevance.

 

The vital work being done to make tennis more accessible and inclusive wasn't cutting through. And without a stronger, more recognised ITF, the sport risked losing the audience and momentum it needed to grow.

Solution

‍

The ITF needed to regain influence and leadership. Storm rebranded ITF to World Tennis, to convey the authority and scale the organisation has on the game.

 

We defined a new more emotive positioning - ‘Tennis for Life.’ We crafted an iconic new brand identity around the metaphor of being ‘the beating heart of tennis.’ Then designed a coherent brand identity system across sub brands and major events that underlined their authority, and created a cut-through comms platform that speaks to advancing the game and driving participation worldwide.

Impact

‍

World Tennis now has a clear vision, purpose and proposition as the global leader in tennis, and ‘Tennis for Life’ has become deeply embedded within the organisation, and a rally cry to reinforce the health aspects of the sport.

 

World Tennis is positioned as more accessible and inclusive, opening themselves up to players of all abilities. This has strengthened connections to both the grass roots and amateur game.

‍

World Tennis is primed for sustainable growth, from playground to podium, and to elevate its role for the prosperity of the game. It has been shaped to reflect contemporary culture, ensuring its relevance for future generations.