Despite his rapid rise in the ATP standings, Milos Raonic is noticeably absent in a new campaign from Tennis Canada that promotes his appearance at this year’s Rogers Cup.
Instead, two 30-second TV spots created by Toronto’s Bensimon Byrne feature people trying to pass themselves off as the fast-rising Canadian star to disbelieving reporters at a press conference.
In one spot, “Grandma Meatloaf,” an elderly woman tries to convince the reporters she’s Raonic. When one reporter points out that she’s an imposter, she responds “I don’t do what?” After, the reporter repeats his assertion that “YOU’RE. NOT. MILOS,” she counters, “I hope I don’t look like meatloaf.”
While the spot was highly scripted, Bensimon Byrne creative director Joseph Bonnici said the 92-year-old actress “brought a lot” to the delivery. “We’d throw her some wild lines and she would deliver it in her own special way,” he said.
The spot concludes with a black-and-white still shot of Raonic in action, accompanied by a super reading “When you’re training for the Rogers Cup there’s no time for anything else” followed by ticket information.
A second spot follows the same format, substituting a man who’s about 20 years older than Raonic and clearly lacks the star’s physique.
While it was obvious that the Thornhill, Ont.-raised Raonic–currently ranked 22nd in the world–had to be the focus of this year’s campaign, Bonnici knew he wouldn’t be available for the shoot because he was participating in high-profile European tournaments, including the French Open.
His absence was what fueled the creative approach, said Bonnici. “We knew that during the actual campaign development we wouldn’t have access to him,” said Bonnici. “He’s completely focused on his sport and busy playing and practicing.”
The TV spots will be complemented by radio and wild postings. Media for the campaign was handled by OMD Canada, which purchased inventory during Wimbledon. The spots will appear on Sportsnet, OMNI and Citytv.
