Game, set, match: The biggest US Open activations and how any brand can win

The US open, which kicked off August 24th, has got us excited for so many reasons.  

The total prize money is up by 15 million, to a total 90 million (the largest in tennis history). 

All eyes are on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Jannik was last year’s US open winner, but Alcaraz just beat him at the French Open – in the longest game in French Open history (5 hours and 29 minutes to be exact), so all eyes are on them.   

And for the ladies, Iga Świątek has been on fire lately, winning the Wimbledon and Cincinnati open, and experts expect her and Aryna Sabalenaka, last year’s US open winner, to meet at the final. We’ll be at the edge of our seats – and so will millions of other viewers.  

But the most exciting part about the US open, to us here at Audiense, is of course the marketing of it all, specifically the brand activations and sponsorships.  

Tennis in general has grown in popularity year after year (by 25% since 2019)– and now 1 in every 12 Americans' play tennis – so it’s never been a better time to try to grab some of that audience share, and insert your brand into the hype.  

That’s why we’ve come up with some easy ways to insert your brand during the US Open, either this year or to keep in mind for next year – but first let’s look at some of the bigger brand activations that have really taken off.  

Top US Open activations  

The best activations, in our opinion, are ones that of course do well at the US open, but who also have the power to reach the audiences watching from home. The master of this has to be Grey Goose with their signature Honey Deuce drink – which was everywhere last year on social media.  

Greg Goose   

You’d think a signature drink at the US Open wouldn't be that big of a deal, but it made huge waves at the tennis tournament last year.  

Over the course of the tournament Grey Goose sold 556,000 Honey Deuce cocktails, and generated $12.8 million in sales. And this is just at the event.  

Purchase data from 2024 showed that people making the drink at home drove a 800% increase in the sales of the main ingredients: Grey Goose and Chamboard, during and shortly after the US Open was underway.   

The drink, which was trending on TikTok during the tournament, took something that the ticketholders were getting to experience, but made it possible for the viewers at home to feel a part of too.  

I swear last year I saw more videos of people reviewing or making the Honey Deuce drink on TikTok than I saw of the actual tournament – and that’s when you know a brand hit their mark.   

And the drinks popularity shows no signs of slowing down – the Honey Deuce by Grey Goose is again the official drink of the US Open this year, and you can see the search for that term is already spiking again:   

Any brand sponsoring the event should take note of what Grey Goose has been able to achieve – they’ve created something that generated as much buzz as the tournament itself.  

Dove  

Dove is a new sponsor of the US open – the official “underarm sponsor” as they are cleverly calling it. 

At the event itself, they will have a station set up where US Open ticket holders can stop in and pick up free samples and take a selfie in one of their tennis mirrors.   

But they are creating their biggest sponsor impact online. Leading up to the event, they are holding a contest/ open casting call to find an “Underarm Ambassador” for the US Open.   

Fans are sending in TikTok and Instagram videos of themselves describing why they would make a good fit. Dove is looking for someone energetic, unique and who embodies confidence and the spirit of the game.  

The winner will receive a N.U.L. (Name, Underarm, Likeness) creator deal title, the first of its kind in sports marketing. They will star on Dove’s social media, receive $10,000, get a VIP trip to the US open where they will report live, and promote the benefits of Dove.  

This is what a modern marketing strategy looks like, and it’s the perfect way to make their debut as a US Open sponsor.  

It makes audiences feel like even if they’re not an office influencer or athlete, there's still an opportunity for them to work with a brand like Dove, and that’s what's exciting.  

It’s showing the people at home that Dove is thinking about them, above all, and wants to give them their place in this event too. Not to mention, it’s also free marketing for Dove when we think of all the users submitting their videos on TikTok and Instagram promoting the brand.  

The sponsorship is also completely aligned with their brand, specifically their line of deodorant. Dove picked underarms because in tennis they are always on display – think every serve, victory post etc.  

Their “serve looks not sweat” messaging is funny but also highlights its products promise of long-lasting protection. It’s just an all-around exciting campaign, and a perfect brand and sponsorship fit. 

Tiffany & Co.   

Tiffany & Co. is a longtime sponsor of the US Open, and since 1987 they have created the iconic silver trophies.  

Ticket holders can visit the Tiffany & Co. popup to see the trophies, and a jewelry inspired all-gold tennis racket.  

This is similar to last years Tiffany activation where they also displayed the trophies, and a diamond tennis racket.  

Their pop up is great for the attendees, especially since so many are in the income bracket Tiffany is going after - but what is so impactful is the screentime Tiffany & Co. gets. Think about the amount of people who just tune in for the final round of the US Open (Men’s & Women’s), and at the very end when people are glued to the TV, the winner holds up their Tiffany & Co. Trophy.  

Beyond that, what else are people glued to while watching the tournament? The celebrities. Last year there were hundreds of celebrity sitings, including Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.   

To amplify their impact, Tiffany should prioritize working with top influencer and celebrity attendees, and pay them to wear their jewelry, which would no doubt get even more screentime than the trophies do.  

And as a women viewer myself, who loves Tennis, I also love the celebrity sitings, and I always notice what they are wearing including their jewelry. So, Tiffany not creating this type of influencer partnership seems like a lost opportunity to get the attention of us viewers at home.  

Joining the hype without joining the sponsor list 

Some brands just aren’t aligned with the US Open brand, we’re looking at you Only Fans (yes, they sponsored Alexandre Müller, a French ATP tennis player), but you could argue that a good deal of brands could be.  

Especially the brands that fall into the travel, pets, and finance space – according to Demand these are the top shared interests of the US Open fans: 

We recognize that it might not be possible for your brand to sponsor the US Open or create some expensive activation. But the reality is that there are a lot simpler and cheaper ways to insert your brand into the mix.  

When we use a tool like Audiense, it will automatically suggest campaign and content strategies that would resonate with the US Open audience. It will even tailor it to your brand. So here are some campaign ideas (categorized social/ marketing channel) that you could take inspiration from to join the buzz during this US Open, or for the next major tennis tournament.   

Instagram  

Let’s say a travel/ hospitality brand like Airbnb wanted to partake in the US Open buzz without an official sponsorship.  

They could position Airbnb as the ultimate hub for the dedicated sports fan – making Airbnb synonymous with the live sports travel experience. The key would be to highlight homes with awesome entertainment set ups and proximity to major stadiums.  

Their post on Instagram could say “The ultimate home base for the ultimate fan. Steps from the subway, space for your whole crew, and a big screen for the replays. #USOpen #Airbnb #FanLife. And based on the direction from Audiense, it could look something like this: 

Facebook 

For this next example, imagine a finance brand like Fidelity Investments wanted to stay relevant to their target customers who they know are watching the US Open. They could use Audiense’s suggested strategy of positioning their brand as the financial coach for sports enthusiasts – aligning the passion for sports with the diciple of long term investing.  

On Facebook the could post could focus on how Fidelity could help fans save up for tickets to the next US Open:  

TikTok   

Let’s say a CPG brand like Cafe Bustelo wants to play up the tennis theme during the tournament – it's easy for any CPG brand to take part, with the right strategy.  

Audiense suggests a brand like this position themselves as the “Official fuel for fandom”. They should integrate the brand into the sports-watching ritual, from early morning game-day prep to late-night matches.  

Cafe Bustelo could create a TikTok that shows a person watching a tennis match, jumping up and cheering, and spilling some of their coffee while they do that, in slow motion: 

You as the marketer are the creative but Audiense creates great starting points like these.  

Getting ideas tailored to your own brands audience is easy – just sign up for a free trial of Audiense to get started.  

Game. Match. Point.  

At the end of the day, the US Open isn’t just a tennis tournament – it's a cultural moment where sports and brand storytelling collide.  

From Grey Goose’s Honey Deuce to Dove’s underarm ambassador, these sponsors prove that there are endless ways to get creative and become part of the conversation.  

The key thing to remember is that you don’t need to be an official sponsor to win big you just need to find a smart, authentic angle that taps into the passion of fans both at the event and on the couch.  

With tools like Audiense, identifying those angles has never been easier, making every major sporting event an opportunity for you to serve their own winning shot. 

Download the free US Open Targeting Pack for more campaign and content ideas.