Bringing comfort to Tennis Paradise
How MVT introduced lululemon as Official Outfitter of the BNP Paribas Open — turning a partnership announcement into a major earned-media moment in the tournament off-season.
A first-of-its-kind deal, announced in the off-season
The BNP Paribas Open — the largest combined ATP and WTA 1000 tennis tournament in the world — was set to announce lululemon as the Official Outfitter of the tournament in November 2025. It was the first and biggest deal of its kind for lululemon, who had been actively expanding their presence in tennis through top players but not yet a tournament. BNPPO needed a PR strategy that would build a narrative connection between the two brands and drive earned media while the tournament was months away.
Two world-class brands, one shared story
MVT led a PR campaign that connected Tennis Paradise and lululemon as natural partners through a collective emphasis on intertwining high performance and cultivating a world-class atmosphere. On top of broadcasting the details of an exclusive merchandise line outfitting tournament volunteers, a “Lululemon Day” was established during the tournament to further celebrate the new partnership.
Earned media generated by the partnership announcement during the tournament off-season.
Finding the narrative alignment
MVT first ran a high-level scan of the two brands to find shared values. The BNP Paribas Open's standing as Tennis Paradise emphasizes a feeling of comfort and bliss mixed with high-end competition when players and fans come to the grounds. The tournament is consistently voted the best on tour by the players, and its reputation as the “fifth major” proves the world-class on-court experience.
While the brand context for lululemon is different, the connotations proved similar. A lifestyle apparel leader in the yoga, running and training markets, lululemon has built its reputation on high product quality that doesn't compromise on comfort. Partnerships with top-tier players such as Frances Tiafoe and Leylah Fernandez had softly launched its presence in the sport — but working with a major tournament would introduce lululemon onto the main stage of tennis as a potential new power player against the legacy brands.
We saw the natural narrative alignment immediately: two brands known for reliable performance that provides unmatched comfort. The BNPPO prides itself on being an innovator in the tennis ecosystem, willing to be unique in pursuit of bettering the product on and off the court; lululemon had built the consumer audience and was looking for the outlet to break into major live-event partnerships. In partnering, the BNPPO furthered its place as an industry leader — and lululemon gained access to high-end sports events.
"MVT found the story that made this partnership feel inevitable — comfort and performance, told in a way that carried two world-class brands through an off-season news cycle."
[Client Name] — [Title], BNP Paribas Open
A paradigm shift in the tennis world
The partnership between the BNP Paribas Open and lululemon became a paradigm shift in the tennis world. The lifestyle brand leader went all-in on tennis — and through a coordinated sponsorship narrative strategy that emphasized shared values in comfort and performance, both brands were rewarded with major press traction in an otherwise slow news period.
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