Dunlop at the HSBC Championships

Dunlop at the HSBC Championships: A Bespoke Wall of Speed Case Study

When one of the biggest names in tennis equipment needed a standout activation for one of the biggest tournaments in the tennis calendar, they came to us. Here’s how Dunlop used a bespoke Wall of Speed to engage fans, boost brand visibility, and give away the ultimate prize at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s.

The Brief: Engaging Tennis Fans at a Major UK Sporting Event

Dunlop approached Cyclone Game Company ahead of the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club, one of the most prestigious grass-court tournaments on the ATP Tour and a key fixture in the UK sporting events calendar. With two weeks of play, high footfall, and a premium audience of tennis fans, sponsors, and VIP guests, Dunlop needed an activation that would do more than just display a logo.

The goal was simple: create something eye-catching, interactive, and genuinely fun that would give the Dunlop team a reason to talk to guests, build brand awareness on-site, and reward fans with a truly money-can’t-buy prize: two VIP tickets to the following year’s tournament.

The Challenge: Why a Standard Exhibition Game Wouldn’t Cut It

For a brand as recognisable as Dunlop, attending an event of this scale, “off the shelf” simply wasn’t an option. The activation needed to:

• Command attention across a two-week tournament with constantly changing crowds
• Offer maximum branding space to reinforce Dunlop’s presence throughout the event
• Give the team a natural, low-pressure way to strike up conversations with attendees
• Feel bespoke and premium enough to sit comfortably alongside a Grand Slam-level sporting event
• Be genuinely fun and repeatable, encouraging fans to come back and try again

This is exactly where a generic promotional stand or pop-up banner falls short. Dunlop needed an experiential marketing solution built around interaction, not just visibility.

The Solution: A Bespoke 2 Metre Wall of Speed

We recommended our Wall of Speed, a fast-paced, BATAK-style reaction wall game, built at an eye-catching 2 metre scale to create the “big presence, interactive billboard” Dunlop was looking for.

The Wall of Speed was the perfect fit for this brief because it combines three things every successful exhibition activation needs: standout visual impact, complete branding flexibility, and instant, easy-to-understand gameplay.

Custom Branding, Built Around Dunlop

Unlike a standard exhibition stand game, the Wall of Speed was fully customised for Dunlop, giving the brand a genuine billboard-style presence courtside. Every panel, button placement, and side graphic was designed to put Dunlop’s branding front and centre, turning the game itself into a piece of on-brand marketing rather than just a backdrop for one.

Fast, Fun, Reaction-Based Gameplay

Guests set the clock, then react as fast as they can to hit the buttons as they light up. It’s simple to pick up in seconds, which matters hugely at a busy sporting event where attendees won’t stop to read instructions, but competitive enough that fans wanted to beat their own score, and each other’s.

A Natural Networking Tool

For the Dunlop team on-site, the Wall of Speed became more than an attraction. It gave staff a reason to approach guests, start conversations, and keep people engaged at the stand for longer, turning passive footfall into genuine face-to-face brand engagement over the full two weeks of the tournament.

The Result: Two Weeks of Engagement and a Prize Worth Winning

Across the full run of the HSBC Championships, the Wall of Speed gave Dunlop a consistent, high-visibility presence that stood out from typical courtside sponsorship activations. It created a talking point for guests, gave the Dunlop team a natural way to network with fans and industry contacts, and delivered on the brief of being fun, memorable, and a little bit different.

The activation culminated in a standout prize giveaway: two VIP tickets to the following year’s tournament, giving fans an extra reason to stop, play, and remember the Dunlop name long after they left Queen’s.

While an NDA means we can’t share extensive photography from this project, the brief and build reflect exactly the kind of bespoke exhibition game hire we specialise in, for brands that need more than a standard off-the-shelf solution.

Why Brands Choose Interactive Exhibition Games for Sports Sponsorship Activations

Dunlop’s approach at the HSBC Championships is a great example of a wider trend in event marketing and sports sponsorship: brands increasingly want interactive, custom-branded experiences over static signage or traditional exhibition stands. A bespoke game hire solution like the Wall of Speed offers:

• Increased dwell time at your stand or activation space
• Genuine two-way engagement, not just passive brand awareness
• Complete branding flexibility, tailored to your event and audience
• A memorable, shareable experience that guests associate directly with your brand
• A natural lead-generation and networking tool for staff on-site

Whether it’s a major sporting fixture, a trade show, a product launch, or a corporate event, the right interactive game turns a standard sponsorship slot into an experience people actually remember.

Ready to Create Your Own Show-Stopping Brand Activation?

If Dunlop’s activation at the HSBC Championships has given you ideas for your next event, sports sponsorship, or exhibition stand, we’d love to help you bring it to life. From bespoke branding to full UK and EU delivery and staffing, our team can build an interactive experience that fits your brand, your budget, and your audience.

Get in touch with the Cyclone Game Company team today to talk through your next activation, and let’s make it unforgettable.