Google Pixel launched its new campaign, “Courtside Magic,” during the 2025 Australian Open, in collaboration with EssenceMediacom, 72andSunny and Sense Group, featuring Tennis legend Mark Philippoussis.
This campaign includes OOH, social media and on-site activations, and marks the second year of partnership with Tennis Australia.
Following their collaboration in 2024, Google Pixel aims to strengthen fan engagement by connecting them to the unexpected and unforgettable moments of the Australian Open, both on and off the court. With attendance forecasts in 2025 set to break records again, a new addition to the partnership is the Google Pixel Studio – an immersive two-level activation designed to help fans capture the perfect group photo.
This activation allows tennis fans to experience Pixel’s AI photo features, like Best Take, up close, helping them combine similar photos into an ideal image of their group at the AO.
Google Pixel has collaborated with Nine, JCDecaux and oOh! Media to bring this campaign to life.
“The Australian Open is an iconic cultural moment in Australia, so this year we built our campaign to follow the fans’ journey during the AO. In doing so, we can add a magical touch to their experience, whether on TV, on the streets, on site, or on their phones,” said Emma Dodd, Head of Devices and Services Marketing at Google AUNZ.
“We’ve really enjoyed 2024 with Google Pixel as a first-time AO partner. We look forward to working with Google Pixel again this year to push the boundaries by creating rich behind-the-scenes content and a new Google Pixel visual activation in ‘the Village’, a new area within the site that fans are already loving during AO 2025,” added Roddy Campbell, Director of Partnerships and International Development at Tennis Australia.
“Sport is a powerful way to connect with Australians and create brand associations. It was great to collaborate with the team to strategically and creatively design how Pixel could fit into the AO experience, from courts to activations and advertising,” added Ross Berthinussen, Chairman of 72andSunny ANZ.
-As the official smartphone and camera of the Australian Open, Google Pixel has created a multi-dimensional experience that balances live and non-live content across social media, television and billboards.
One of the campaign spots features tennis legend Mark Philippoussis showcasing Google Pixel’s Circle to Search feature. This option allows for more convenient visual searching by surrounding an image, so users can get the information they need without necessarily being able to describe it.
In addition to new contextual creatives, Google Pixel will populate social media feeds with content produced by gamers and creators.
“While there are many powerful partnerships at AO, our team wanted to find ways to make Pixel synonymous with the magic of AO. Building on the success of last year’s idea around behind-the-scenes social content, we’re very excited to evolve it and bring together global talent with local influencers to enrich the way people fans create and experience moments of magic throughout the tournament,” said Dan Collier-Hill, Head of APAC Brand Partnerships at EssenceMediacom.
“We have never designed and made something so unique for Pixel. The Google Pixel Studio is an incredible opportunity for fans to play, learn and create their own special AO memories using a Pixel device,” added Mark Bennedick, Director at Sense.
This initiative highlights the importance of innovation in the promotion of major sporting events. By engaging fans on a more personal scale and using modern technologies, we can explore new ways of interacting during future events. What other sectors could draw inspiration from this approach to enrich the customer experience?
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