As an official sponsor of the ASB Classic—New Zealand’s biggest tennis tournament—Lexus created ‘Experience Amazing Replays’, a unique and artistic way of showcasing the performance of players through Sky TV’s broadcasting of the event.
Using the blue surface of the ASB Classic tennis court as a giant “blue screen”—similar to those used in film special effects—Lexus transformed tennis rally action-replays into stunning digital art. By utilising the data of player and tennis ball movements, these replays “paint” kinetic digital artworks, each being a one-of-a-kind visual interpretation.
Lexus New Zealand VP Andrew Davis said: “We wanted to find a way for everyone to experience amazing, whether you are watching from the courtside or from home. Creating the ‘Experience Amazing Replays’ was a way to bring a unique experience to life for all viewers to enjoy.”
The innovative production is led by renowned digital artist and motion graphics director Jon Baxter of Perceptual Engineering, based in Auckland.
Steve Cochran, CCO of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand said, “When we looked at the ASB Classic’s distinctive environment, one element stood out asking to be used in some way, the big square of blue. We just had to figure out how. That’s where Jon’s genius came into play.”
The resulting ‘Experience Amazing Replays’ elevated the excitement of tennis rallies with mesmerising patterns that created dynamic, moving artworks. These replays were showcased through Sky’s 12-day broadcast of the tournament and displayed on screens at the event. They will are also being shared online, reaching beyond the tennis audience to captivate people everywhere.
The campaign launched pre-tournament with a 15-second sponsorship film, offering a subtle preview of the artwork to come. Beyond the two-week tennis event, Lexus will take the art pieces created as static images to print as a limited-edition series of artworks. And New Zealand fashion icon Karen Walker will choose her favourite one to create a fabric, from which to produce an exclusive Karen Walker scarf.
Credits
Lexus New Zealand
Client: Lexus New Zealand Limited
Vice President: Andrew Davis
Manager: Craig Burton
Manager, Marketing: Logan Potter
Saatchi & Saatchi NZ
Creative Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi NZ
Chief Executive Officer: Mark Cochrane
Chief Creative Officer: Steve Cochran
Executive Creative Director: Jordan Sky
Art Director: Tim Yates
Copywriter: Josh Stuart
General Manager: Susie Darling
Senior Business Director: Kimesha Gopal
Business Director: Quentin Fullerton-Smith
Executive Agency Producer: Jane Mill
Producer: Jess Drysdale, Amy Saunders
Head of Connected Strategy: Tim Cullinane
Perceptual Engineering
Production Company: Perceptual Engineering
Director: Jon Baxter
Producer: Angela Jackson
VFX Artist: Puck Murphy
VFX Artist: Taylor Hewetson
Spark Foundry
Media Agency: Spark Foundry
Managing Director: Nicky Greville
Client Partner: Kelly Rosnell-Shand
Business Directors: Stacey Stephenson, Tyla Cvitanich
