Looking for net profits: Aegon taps into tennis

But using its sponsorship to introduce the brand to consumers is just phase one of a long-term vision for the insurance company.

Steve Clode, marketing director at Aegon, explains: ‘Initially we will focus on familiarity. It's too early to simply say to consumers ‘buy one of our products'. Once we have awareness we will build recognition about what we do - pensions, investments, protection. And then we aim to build favourability. We're looking to become a household name that people associated with good things'.

In 2005, Andy Murray slammed the LTA for ‘ruining' his older brother's career but Aegon hopes to boost participation numbers across the board and invest in future champions.

‘It's self fulfilling', says Clode. ‘We wanted a blue-ribboned event on terrestrial TV, but it's not just about labelling a tournament. We are very keen on the schools programme, which is based around getting a racket into kids' hands. We also have a parks programme, which is about getting courts refurbished. I call it grass roots to centre court. We also have the Aegon future stars programme which funds young talent'.

Aegon's sponsorship comes at a time when tennis is scaling new heights. Andy Murray plays a major role in maintaining interest in the UK, but the men's game is blessed with superstars at the moment with brands recognising the appeal of the world's top players, such as Raphael Nadal and Rodger Federer, who has featured in Gillette ads.

The women's game is equally as high-profile, with Sony Ericsson finding $88m to title sponsorship of the WTA Tour (Women's Tennis Association)

In 2007, Marketing chose six talented teenage sports prospects that brands should involve themselves with ahead of future glory. And last summer, one of our chosen few, Laura Robson, found national celebrity by winning Junior Wimbledon at the age of just 14.

Robson has since followed in the footsteps of Murray and Tim Henman by signing a sponsorship deal with Robinsons, the official soft drink of the Wimbledon Championships.

Personalities come and go, but to compete with other major sports, tennis must continue to develop its brand image (preferably moving away from the strawberries and cream brigade who frequent ‘Henman Hill' each year) and the game itself. For its part the ATP, under the stewardship of CEO Phil Anderton, has updated its image and London will host the ATP World Tour final at The O2 for the first time this November.

While cricket has 20Twenty, the benchmark for sports evolution, tennis has Sony Ericsson night tennis and ‘Turbo Tennis', which was sponsored by Betfair. Neither has yet to fully capture the imagination but both are steps in the right direction. The introduction of Hawk-Eye technology to professional tennis in 2006 has also added to the drama -the stiffs in football who inexplicably refuse to adopt it should take note.