Wimbledon’s TikTok playbook: How “overheard at Wimbledon” cuts through content saturation

Strawberries and cream, white attire, and… TikTok? Wimbledon, a brand synonymous with tradition, is proving that even the most established institutions can serve up viral content and win over Gen Z by being more than just a tennis tournament.

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TikTok Isn’t a Shortcut—It’s a Strategy

Gen Z doesn’t just scroll, they swipe, judge, skip, and dismiss—all in under eight seconds. Capturing their attention is less about existing on a platform, and more about earning your moment on it.

Attention is currency, and Gen Z’s feed is overflowing with it. From brands joining viral trends to content creators doing 10-step skincare routine while telling an incongruous story, it’s an algorithmic competition to get TikTok users to stop the scroll. Not to mention the fact that most users do not open TikTok to see content from brands…

Standing out is hard.

Brands often fumble because they’re too preoccupied with speaking the youth’s language that they forget to be, well… on brand. Understanding Gen Z’s interests and values requires more than just surface-level trend-jumping. It demands cultural fluency.

Which is exactly why Wimbledon’s TikTok strategy is a masterclass in relevance—and a wake-up call for brands still playing it safe.

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From Royal Box to For You Page: “Overheard at Wimbledon”

Let’s be honest: Wimbledon isn’t the most obvious Gen Z hangout. It's exclusive. It's steeped in tradition (and strawberries & cream). Most young people aren't exactly rushing to spend their limited summer budget on Centre Court ticket ballots…

But that’s precisely what makes Wimbledon’s TikTok content series “Overheard at Wimbledon” so brilliant.

Instead of broadcasting match highlights or leaning into tennis elitism, they flipped the script—zooming in on the unscripted, funny, very human moments overheard in the crowd. Whether it’s a kid loudly asking if Roger Federer is “the king of Wimbledon” or a couple bickering about sunscreen, it’s chaotic, endearing, and perfectly on-brand for TikTok.

And with 66% of Gen Z using TikTok to discover new products and content, being visible—and likeable—on the platform is no longer optional for brands targeting younger audiences.

Showing up on TikTok isn’t enough—it’s a strategy built around on-brand yet platform-appropriate content that results in increased awareness among young audiences.

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The Secret Sauce: Chaos, Humour & Cultural Relevance

Wimbledon’s TikTok game works because it subverts expectations. The brand could’ve leaned into its prestige and legacy—but instead, it chose to emphasise quirky, unexpected moments from the tournament. 

“Overheard at Wimbledon” captures the chaos of British summer—awkward conversations, respectful gossip, confused tourists—and packages it into bite-sized, bingeable videos that slot effortlessly into Gen Z’s content diet. The series doesn’t try to be cool; it just is, because it’s observational and authentic.

Rather than reinforcing its elite identity, Wimbledon embraces the randomness on TikTok. That makes it feel accessible—like it’s okay to enjoy the tournament without knowing every player's seed ranking.

For brands navigating how to connect with younger audiences, that’s the play: show personality, lean into culture, and be willing to not take yourself too seriously.

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Staying On-Brand While Breaking the Mold

Our 2025 Youth Trends Report reveals that nearly half (44%) of Gen Z will judge your brand based on execution alone when you jump on trends. Get it wrong, and you risk being labeled as 'cringeworthy' (and trust us, 21% of Gen Z finds the whole thing cringeworthy when brands miss the mark) or simply ignored. 

Here’s why Wimbledon’s content feels so authentic and not cringe: because it’s not out of character.

Yes, the content is new and playful. But it’s still beautifully shot, captioned in Wimbledon’s distinct brand green, and shared from an account that doesn’t suddenly start acting like a Gen Z creator. It’s consistent and creative. 

Here’s why 21-year-old Emma loves “Overheard at Wimbledon”: 

“I’ve seen players mic’d up before, but never someone in the audience. It feels really authentic and gives a fun sneak peek at what it’s like to attend Wimbledon.”

Because when your audience feels part of your brand experience—even if they’re miles away—that’s when fandom begins.

With “overheard at Wimbledon,” Wimbledon is spotlighting the fans, the atmosphere, the grounds… Portraying Wimbledon as much more than just a tennis tournament. It’s a hangout with friends, it’s a family debate, it’s a Summer day out in the sun, it’s an entire experience.

And that’s a powerful takeaway for any brand hoping to move beyond transactional relationships with youth audiences.

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What Brands Can Steal From Wimbledon’s Playbook

Let’s break it down. Here’s what your brand should be paying attention to:

1. Sell the experience, not just the product.
Wimbledon didn’t promote tennis—they spotlighted the vibe. When young people feel included, they show up (and spend).

2. Build series, not one-offs.
“Overheard at Wimbledon” is a repeatable, ownable format that builds expectation—and addiction. Brands like ASOS, Prime Video, and Wagamama can all benefit from building recognisable content series that audiences return to.

3. Spotlight the unexpected.
Highlight the bits of your brand that don’t usually make the billboard. The awkward moments, behind-the-scenes fails, and human quirks—that’s where Gen Z finds magic.

Wimbledon cracked the code by turning a buttoned-up tradition into a TikTok darling. They didn’t abandon their heritage—they reimagined it through a cultural lens that Gen Z relates to.

For enterprise brands navigating the chaos of content marketing, this isn’t about copying a format—it’s about understanding how young people consume culture. That’s how you stay relevant. That’s how you sell without selling.

And that’s how you turn queues, chaos, and comedy into conversion. 

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At Pion, we work with brands like Samsung, Adidas, and H&M to help them do exactly this—connect with Gen Z through research-driven insight, next-gen content strategies, and on-the-ground experiential campaigns. Want to show up with impact? Let’s make your brand the one they’re overhearing next.

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{{ctaNeon}}

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