The archive · Advertising · Marketing decision · 2024
Wimbledon's 2024 launch film 'Hype' puts you inside Centre Court in POV
AELTC's official 2024 launch film ran a Centre Court point in first-person POV, so the audience lived the drama instead of watching it.
All England Lawn Tennis Club (Wimbledon) · The Good Guys · Two Circles
What it had to solve
AELTC wanted an event film that avoided the traditional Championships tropes and put the viewer 'in the middle of the action' — a point seen from a fresh perspective.
How it works
For Wimbledon 2024 the club's launch film lineup included 'Hype', a first-person POV film produced by The Good Guys and directed by Christian James, made in partnership with sports-marketing firm Two Circles and edited at The Banquet. Instead of match highlights, the camera wore the player: the audience stepped onto Centre Court in a player's body and ran a point from inside the drama.
Cast member Lucas Castellano described the film plainly: 'POV: You're first on Centre Court at Wimbledon.' The Banquet's write-up framed the brief as putting 'the viewer in the middle of the action' to view 'the game from a fresh perspective, avoiding the tropes traditionally associated with the Championships.' The film was released as the official Wimbledon 2024 launch film in June 2024, ahead of the 1-14 July Championships.
The POV device is the whole idea: where most sports trailers show the spectacle from outside, 'Hype' placed the viewer on the racquet side of the net, trading highlights for embodied adrenaline. It ran alongside McCann London's 'Always Like Never Before' platform film as the club's two-part 2024 launch, each taking a different route to the same end — making a familiar tournament feel new.
Why it lands
- Perspective over spectacle. The film skipped replays and sold standing on Centre Court yourself.
- One clear concept: 'You're first on Centre Court' turns a launch film into an invitation.
- A fresh-perspective brief avoided tradition and forced its own viewpoint.
- No measurable results could be verified, so the case rests on the idea and brief.
What it did
The film served as the club's official launch film for Wimbledon 2024, released ahead of the 1-14 July Championships across digital and social channels. No audience numbers or advertising awards could be verified — the searchable Cannes Lions 2024 winners list contains no Wimbledon entry — so the assessment rests on the film itself and the brief that produced it.
What you can take
When every launch film shows the same highlights, the differentiator is vantage point — a first-person camera made tennis feel physical. Let audiences occupy the protagonist's seat, not observe it.
Since then
The 'Hype' film circulated as the official 2024 launch piece, and AELTC's creative account subsequently moved to VCCP in March 2025, ending the marketing era that produced both the McCann platform film and 'Hype'. The film remains visible via the production and edit houses' pages and a fan re-upload on YouTube.
Sources
- Wimbledon 'Hype'
- Wimbledon Hype
- POV: You're first on Centre Court at Wimbledon
- McCann's Wimbledon 2024 trailer freezes classic moments in time
spotted an error? The archive wants to know.
Your turn
You just read one. Describe the brief you are staring at, and see who has been given the same problem.
Free account · 3 free questions · no card