Wimbledon's Virtual Hill Returns
TYPE & TECH Gamified Social Experience, 3D WebGL World
CLIENT Wimbledon & AMEX
Wimbledon’s iconic digital Henman Hill returns!
Imagined in 2021 due to the limits of the pandemic, Wasserman and Solarflare Studio partnered up to build a unique digital experience for clients Wimbledon and AMEX. Turning the iconic Henman Hill digital, visitors could watch, interact and win prizes within a bespoke built 3D environment. The success recreated a true buzz of the Wimbledon spirit, online.
Now returning for a second year, The Virtual Hill is a more explorable and gamified version of its predecessor. Creating a social metaverse for the 2022 Wimbledon Grand Slam. It allows spectators to deepen their relationship with the history of the sport through a fun and engaging experience outside of the physical space of Wimbledon, with more features, prizes, picnic spots and customisation.
“The Hill is one of Wimbledon’s most treasured traditions, and I’ve certainly hugely appreciated the atmosphere fans on The Hill add to the Wimbledon spirit.
Making sure we create the same type of feeling and passion in the virtual world is critical to driving engagement with fans who don’t get to be here, and so I’m really proud to be part of the Virtual Hill. Make sure you track me down and I’ll set you some challenges to complete while you’re there.”
– Sir Andy Murray
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That makes it 30-Love to us, right?
Placing you in the centre of Wimbledon’s biggest crowd, the interactive social experience has had some great elevations from last year to create an unforgettable digital experience.
Featuring a wider virtual world to move around and explore, embark on daily missions, hunt for more collectibles, take part in quizzes, more style, choice and inclusivity with our customisable avatars and patches, the ability to explore with your friends, take a selfie, and even have a chance to ‘meet’ one of most famous British Champion stars, Andy Murray on the Mound.
#TheVirtualHill has levelled up.
Initially built due to Covid reducing its capacity to the grounds, The Virtual Hill experience allowed international superstars to interact and recreate the spirit of Wimbledon’s iconic Hill when in person attendance wasn’t possible .
Creating a huge online racquet in 2021, partners Wimbledon and AMEX wanted to take the experience to new heights. And what better way than creating an all new hot air balloon experience called ‘Up Up We Go’, offering a special aerial view of the Hill and a sneak peek into the hidden items around the iconic mound.
More gamified and interactive than ever the experience is made to allow fans to pick their own picnic spot, rub shoulders with other tennis fans and dive into the history of Wimbledon, whenever, with their nearest and dearest.
“Recreating special memories is an important part of what we want to bring to tennis fans this year during Wimbledon, and the Virtual Hill is an important example of this. We can’t wait to celebrate our fourth year partnering with The Championships, and to give fans across the globe access to the iconic Wimbledon Hill, in its virtual form, to experience their own unforgettable moments.”
– Shiz Suzuki
Vice President of Marketing, American Express
The best seat in the house.
Driving a shared experience, fans are able to build their own custom avatars, pick and design their patch, experience more than the hill, complete daily missions and quizzes, react with custom-designed emojis all while their friends and family are within the same multiplayer 3D world.
Not only that to keep fans connected and feeling the Championship spirit in London each day, the missions provide the chance to win our in-game currency ‘Wimble-coin’. From tennis balls to tickets for next year, the more you collect the higher the chance of winning the prizes. Not forgetting the AMEX cardholder exclusives and tease of new styles, enticing users to keep coming back and using their ‘Wimble-coins.’
Accessible wherever you are.
The WebGL experience was easy to access via desktop and mobile throughout the tournament, only requiring the user to set up an account – allowing users to log back in and pick up where they left off with a backpack to take care of your missions and items that you’ve collected along the way.
Elevating true tradition through innovative solutions, fans interacted, socialised and celebrated the iconic sport we all know and love. For another year running, continuing the online racquet.
Marcomm News, The Voice Online, Daily Mail, Evening Standard…and at the physical AELTC Henman Hill.
“The Hill at Wimbledon is one of our most iconic traditions. We are thrilled to be immortalising that experience through the Virtual Hill.
Making sure we are always finding new ways to reach and engage with fans is a critical part of our strategy, so whether it is choosing your outfit, or taking on the daily missions, or simply just having a lovely picnic, we hope everyone enjoys this innovative experience in celebration of Wimbledon 2022.”
– Alexandra Willis
Communications & Marketing Director, Wimbledon
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