Celebrating 30 years of loving tennis.
The Opportunity
For 30 years, the ASB Classic has been more than a tennis tournament. It is a defining moment of the New Zealand summer. Long evenings, packed stands, a drink in hand, and the rhythm of the game playing out under lights.
ASB’s role within that is not just as a sponsor, but as a host. They elevate the experience. The VIP lounges, the viewing decks, the spaces where people gather, relax and take it all in. It is where tennis meets hospitality. Where sport becomes entertainment.
This project set out to celebrate that full experience. Not just the match, but everything around it. The atmosphere, the rituals, the moments before and after play.
The ambition was to create a visual language that felt timeless rather than campaign-led. Something considered and enduring. A system that could live seamlessly across environments, merchandise, print and digital, while reflecting the premium, curated nature of the event.
All anchored in a single idea: For the love of tennis.
The Idea
During the ASB Classic, tennis extends far beyond the court. It shows up in the way people spend their time, what they drink, where they sit, how they experience the day.
We captured that by letting tennis infiltrate everything.
At the centre of the system is a simple device. The tennis ball becomes a lens through which the entire experience is seen.
It becomes the sun setting behind the Auckland skyline. It becomes the lemon in a drink, the scoop of ice cream, the detail in a bowl, the accent in a moment of leisure. Everyday objects are reinterpreted through tennis, creating a series of visual plays that feel both familiar and unexpected.
Each illustration carries a quiet sense of wit. Not overt, not forced, but discovered. A system that rewards a second look.
Art Direction
The art direction is deliberately restrained and classic. It draws from the era of traditional screenprinting, where ideas were distilled into their simplest possible form.
Shapes are reduced to their essence. Colour is used with intent. Composition is balanced and considered.
There is a focus on flat planes and bold silhouettes, supported by subtle layering to introduce depth without complexity. Slight imperfections reference the tactility of print, giving the work a human quality that contrasts the precision of digital execution.
The colour palette is anchored in the unmistakable yellow of both ASB Bank, and a tennis ball. This is paired with deep neutrals and warm off-whites to create contrast and calm. The result is a system that feels premium, confident and enduring.
Illustration System
The illustrations are designed as a cohesive collection. Each piece stands independently, but together they build a broader narrative of the ASB Classic experience.
The tennis ball is always present, but never in the same way twice. It shifts role depending on context, moving seamlessly between literal and abstract. Objects are simplified to their core forms, allowing the idea to lead rather than the detail.
This approach creates a visual language that is both highly recognisable and highly flexible. It allows the system to expand naturally across different moments of the event, from high-energy match play to relaxed, social environments.
Application
The system was designed to live across the full spectrum of the ASB Classic experience.
In the stadium, it brings clarity and cohesion to large-scale environments. On hoardings and wayfinding, it provides bold, legible moments that cut through. Within ASB’s hospitality spaces, it reinforces the premium, curated nature of the experience, sitting comfortably alongside the lounges, bars and viewing areas that define their role in the event.
In print, the illustrations take on a collectible quality. Screenprinted posters and collateral feel considered and crafted, something to keep rather than discard. On merchandise, the system translates effortlessly, maintaining its integrity across apparel and accessories.
Across food and beverage, the visual language extends into menus and service moments, embedding the idea deeper into the overall experience. Even the smallest touchpoints feel connected.
Digital applications carry the same consistency, ensuring the brand feels unified regardless of where it is encountered.
Outcome
The result is a visual system that celebrates 30 years of the ASB Classic without relying on nostalgia. It captures both sides of the event. The precision and intensity of tennis, and the relaxed, social atmosphere that surrounds it. The match, and the moment.
Classic in its execution, playful in its thinking, and premium in its finish.
Brand Identity
Client – ASB Bank
Agency – Bastion Aotearoa
Design Director – Danny Carson
Designer and Illustrator – Brent Courtney