Creative agency HERO has kicked off its new campaign partnership with Crown Resorts in an ‘unexpected’ PR stunt that sparked news headlines across the globe.
Tennis World Number 1, Carlos Alcaraz, swapped the tennis racquet for the top hat, and picked up a shift at the Crown Melbourne last month, while there for the Australian Open, as part of HERO’s task to activate Crown’s campaign platform, ‘Expect The Unexpected’.
HERO’s objective was to create unforgettable surprise‑and‑delight moments for guests that would spark major PR buzz, while also driving high‑velocity social engagement.
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The campaign leveraged a high-profile roster of seven tennis stars while they were in Australia for the Australian Open, including Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev, Aryna Sabalenka, Paula Badosa and Casper Ruud. All featured in a series of unexpected and playful moments, created to showcase the breadth of Crown’s experiences and transition from social feeds to mainstream global news.
The campaign’s centrepiece featured World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz surprising unexpecting guests by working a shift as a Crown Doorman. The stunt quickly lobbed from social media to global earned media coverage across major news networks.
The Alcaraz content alone has now surpassed 5 million views, while the broader campaign across Instagram and TikTok generated over 12 million video views and 2.5 million engagements in its first two weeks.
Other activations under the ‘Expect the Unexpected’ campaign included Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa partying at Crown, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev grilling teppanyaki at a private table at Koko and Iga Swiatek serving as an undercover waitress at Marmont.
Ed Domingo, CEO Crown Melbourne, said the collaboration with HERO proved the brand’s ability to drive cultural conversation through social-native storytelling.
“These surprise moments are all about creating memorable guest experiences – the kinds of interactions guests talk about long after they’ve left. Seeing world‑class tennis players helping with guests’ luggage and on the teppanyaki tools reminds us that fun can happen anywhere, at any moment, at Crown.”
Ben Lilley, Creative Chairman and Founder of HERO, said: “Crown is an iconic Australian brand and the sheer breadth of its hotel, leisure and lifestyle offering, and the unexpected joy of seeing the world’s best players genuinely interacting with them, made this a magical creative opportunity,” he said.
“We’re thrilled to kick off our partnership with such a significant global success.”
