BABOLAT: BABOLAT PLAY

Credits & Description:

Type of entry: Creative Use Of Technology
Category: Innovative Technology for Mobile
Advertiser: BABOLAT
Product/Service: CONNECTED TENNIS RACKET AND TENNIS SOCIAL NETWORK
Agency: OGILVY FRANCE Paris, FRANCE

Client: BABOLAT
Product: CONNECTED TENNIS RACKET AND TENNIS SOCIAL NETWORK
Entrant: OGILVY FRANCE Paris, FRANCE
Type of Entry: Creative Use Of Technology
Category: Innovative Technology for Mobile
Entrant Company : OGILVY FRANCE Paris, FRANCE
Advertising Agency : OGILVY FRANCE Paris, FRANCE

Chief Creative Officer: Chris Garbutt (Ogilvy Paris)
Executive Creative Director: Kurt Novack (Ogilvy Paris)
Creative Director: David Raichman (Ogilvy Paris)
Art Director: Bastien Baumann (Ogilvy Paris)
Art Director: Gurvan Prioul (Ogilvy Paris)
Art Director: Bruno Jesus (Ogilvy Paris)
Lead Ui Designer: Fabien Gavinet (Ogilvy Paris)
Ui Designer: Romain Bourdieux (Ogilvy Paris)
Ui Designer: Baptiste Dumas (Ogilvy Paris)
Ui Designer: Olivier Brechon (Ogilvy Paris)
Creative Technologist: Frederic Granon (Ogilvy Paris)
Account Supervisor: Damien Cuillery (Ogilvy Paris)
Project Director: Sandra Petrus (Ogilvy Paris)
Digital Producer: Victor Raimond (Ogilvy Paris)
Planner: Alexandra Mimoun (Ogilvy Paris)
Technical Lead: Adrien Leygues (Ogilvy Paris)
Technology Consultant: Michael Guilhermet (Ogilvy Paris)
Data Analyst: Guillaume Tuyaa/Boustugue (Ogilvy Paris)
Developer: Pierre Lebret (Ogilvy Paris)
Developer: Fabien Chasseigneaux (Ogilvy Paris)

Creative Execution:
We created the first digital tennis racket accompanied by a mobile Application allowing players to download via bluetooth or USB their game after being played. A shareable icon called the 'pulse' is created after a player has played. This is shared or compared with other Babolat Play community members with the number one players such as Raphael Nadal at the head of the community. These top players are a main driver in the tennis community as this is the first time people can actually compare their game to top players such as Nadal.


We changed the way tennis is played. We created a new connected community around skill and performance in tennis. We created a new social shareable identity; the pulse. Concretely in the first month of the US launch all the rackets where sold out, 10 000 apps downloaded, over 5 000 000 strokes anaylzed and 20 000 games played. Articles published around the world have decalred it the game changer in tennis. It appeared in the New York Times,The Huffington post, Good Morning America, Popular Science, TIme magazine and of course in tennis media around the world.


To improve their game, tennis players need to understand and see their game play to decode what they are not doing right. Babolat wanted to create a new type of tennis racket that would allow players to ‘see’ and understand what was happening at ball impact on the racket head. To see the way players hit the ball on the racket, or identify spin and speed? Or how many times played?
Introducing Babolat Play, a connected racket and social (tennis) platform that allows every player to live a unique experience based on progression, fun and sharing. An experience, which creates infinite possibilities allowing players to have an overview of their tennis game and easily share their 'Pulse' with friends, or compare with Pro Players such as Raphael Nadal or with the Babolat Play community.