Tennis stars talking food on the court. Why?

Uber Eats embedded its ads within the game of Tennis at the 'The Australian Open'.

Online food delivery platform Uber Eats' commercials seem to have taken over 'The Australian Open', a tennis tournament and first of the four yearly Grand Slam events. Tennis stars and on-ground staff (read physio, umpire and camera operator) seem to have taken their eyes off the game for a quick few seconds to order a meal on the platform.

We have been witness to ads on sports grounds in the past. Remember cricketers sipping Gatorade of the brand's flouroscent sippers or the motorised Pepsi kiosks which would rush into the ground during breaks?

Here however, the ads have been integrated in a manner that they seem like a part of in-game interaction until the Uber Eats delivery makes its entry.

Nine Entertainment, broadcast partner for Tennis Australia had earlier announced the food tech brand as one of its top sponsors and partners.

In his statement to Australian newspaper The New Daily, Steve Brennen, director of marketing Uber Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), says that 'the company saw the opportunity for the films to catch unsuspecting viewers off-guard during relentless ad breaks'.

“The intention of the ads has always been to entertain and excite our audience, plus have some fun with the inclusion of celebrities and unexpected heroes,” Brennen told The New Daily.

The ads feature Caroline Wozniacki, Nick Kyrgios, RafaelNadal, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Daria Gavrilova along with the ground staff. The one featuring the cameraman is perhaps the most engaging.

Also, Nine Entertainment spokesperson told The New Daily that they worked in collaboration with UberEats and Tennis Australia “to secure talent, vision, audio, locations and spot placement”. The campaign was filmed inside Melbourne Park’s Rod Laver Arena.

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Moreover, Uber Eats – ANZ has applied its "Tonight I'll be eating" tagline to a host of its campaigns also featuring actors in the past.