Brief
IBM wanted Ogilvy One and TVF DIGITAL to do for tennis what Watson can do for business with the aim of demonstrating Watson, IBM’s A.I. platform, in action. The challenge was to uncover new tennis insight that was both engaging and interactive whilst entertaining an audience of millions of viewers across the globe. We were tasked with shooting a stills campaign for digital and print and a Behind the Scenes documentary and accompanying super-slomo video clips.
Pundit Watson worked to understand what makes a great player. Studying 22 years of sports commentary by reading 11.2 million words in blogs, articles and interviews. All combined with 54 million tennis data points tracked from 1990 and learnings from coaches, journalists, and ex-players about passion, stamina, ‘performance under pressure’, playing styles and the personality traits of the greatest players.
Watson became an expert tennis pundit with the ability to uncover unseen patterns and express insight in human terms.
Using this insight Pundit Watson inspired fans, players, champions (Martina Navratilova, Jamie Murray and Marion Bartoli coming forward to be involved) and journalists, provoking a debate using #WhatMakesGreat.
Execution
Digital posters at London’s Heathrow airport, banners and social media, including Facebook live videos, Daily Debates on Wimbledon.com and, articles on The Telegraph site, shared Pundit Watson’s insights and invited people to take part in the debate #WhatMakesGreat. BTS film was created and received with much acclaim.
Pundit Watson continued to learn as the Championships progressed, using the debate to reveal further insight and react ‘in the moment’ to events, for example, debating the topics of stamina and passion during the five set epic match between Nadal and Muller, or linking to ‘performance under pressure’ during British Jo Konta’s last match.
Ogilvy won Best Tech Campaign of 2017 in Campaign Magazine. We also won Gold and Silver Tech awards at the Digital Marketing Awards and have won a Silver Lion at the 2018 Cannes Lions. Robert James directed both the slo mo, stills and BTS documentary.
