M&C Saatchi has today launched its latest campaign for Tennis Australia urging active tennis watchers to become active tennis players.

Ready? Play. goes to air January 20 with a television commercial featuring US Open champion Sam Stosur. The ball is ’returned’ by a variety of everyday Australians playing on suburban and school courts or walking their dog in the park.

M&C Saatchi Melbourne creative director Doogie Chapman said the tagline Ready? Play. works on a number of levels.

“A quintessentially tennis saying, the line is an invitation to each viewer. It’s the tennis way of asking, ‘want to get involved?’ or ‘how about having a go yourself?’. It’s intentionally a question because more than just awareness – the campaign is all about motivating a response."

The TVC will air on the Seven Network and Fox Sports coinciding with the coverage of the Australian Tennis Open which attracted 9.4 million viewers across Australia’s mainland capital cities in 2011.

Tennis Australia CEO Steve Wood  said the campaign was an integral part of the organisation's never-ending pursuit to continually increase participation in the sport.

“With this campaign we hope to turn tennis viewers into tennis players encouraging them to join their local club, enrol their children into MLC Tennis Hot Shots, sign up for Cardio Tennis or simply have a social hit with friends,” he said.

“The commercial shows an already interested audience (because of the Australian Open) the variety of ways they can get out and participate in tennis. January is also a time of year when people want to make good on New Year’s resolutions around health and fitness, so it’s an ideal fit.”

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