đŸ I'm terrible at tennis but learning anyway. Here's why.
I donât want to miss out on this
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Happy belated Labor Day to everyone!
Over the long weekend, my spouse and I started playing tennis (a sport we've been talking about learning for a while đŸ).
Beyond just spending time together, there are a few compelling reasons I want to learn.
First, research shows tennis is associated with the greatest longevity benefits of any sport (not just because it gets you moving, but because of the social aspect as well đŹ).
And let's be honest: business networking also happens on golf courses and in tennis clubs (I don't want to miss opportunities just because I can't play đ„).
This got me thinking about how tennis is marketed as a luxury sport, and how brands leverage that perception.
Like this Lexus ad (if you didnât know, Lexus is Toyotaâs luxury divisionđ«).
This ad works because itâs reinforcing Lexusâs luxury brand through priming.
Priming means subtly exposing people to concepts that influence their later thoughts â often without them realizing it.
When you see tennis, your brain automatically thinks wealth, luxury, and elitism.
By placing their car next to a tennis player, Lexus wants your brain to connect those same qualities to their vehicle.
And this isnât just some random tennis player⊠heâs Finnish tennis pro Harri Heliövaara.
Using a pro athlete adds celebrity endorsement credibility to reinforce the prestige factor.
It's a masterclass in selling status, not just transportation.
P.S.
Priming doesnât always have to be visual either.
I purposely shared those specific reasons for learning tennis at the beginning of this newsletter to prime you to think about how tennis is connected to both health and wealth.
Itâs why I also broke this newsletterâs normal formatting by placing the ad in the middle of the commentary so that the priming came beforehand (hey, rules are meant to be brokenn â).
If you want to read more about priming, I recommend checking out this case study.
Now, excuse me while I go practice my backhand.
Lexus relies on priming for subtle luxury cues, but not all brands operate behind the scenes.
Corona prefers the direct route â and their 100-year campaign is a perfect example.
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