We launched our first tennis-inspired sneaker, THE ROGER, in 2020 with Roger Federer as a partner. And since, tennis has become one of our fastest growing verticals. THE ROGER collection continues to evolve for on and off-the-court and we’ve introduced apparel to the mix.
We’ve also been keeping pace alongside our star athletes – from Iga Świątek to Ben Shelton, Flavio Cobolli to João Fonseca. But it’s not just about pro matches, we want to make tennis more accessible, fostering a community that bridges performance and the everyday joy of movement, and bringing in cultural moments like Thanks for Playing or Clubhouse Nights, our latest event series, where the court becomes a dance floor. Get a special look at how our teams work together to define tennis in a new way.
Can you share your personal experience being part of the growth of the vertical of tennis, from Roger joining to now having a full range of products and partnerships?
Sarah MacNeil, Global Marketing Lead:
Being part of the tennis vertical at On from the very beginning has been an incredibly meaningful experience. My journey started as a Sports Marketing intern, where I first got a sense of the company’s unique energy, drive and passion for sport. Over time, I had the opportunity to work alongside Roger Federer and play a role in launching tennis at On – a milestone I’m truly proud of.
This journey has been a rewarding one, full of challenges that have pushed me to grow both personally and professionally. What makes it especially fulfilling is the passion and commitment of the entire tennis team. Their dedication and collaborative spirit create an environment where great ideas can thrive. It’s a privilege to be part of this team, and I’m excited to see how far we can take this together. I think the best is yet to come.
Catherine Bernays, Marketing Specialist:
My journey at On started 1.5 years ago as an intern, and I’m incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to grow with the company ever since. During this time, I've had the privilege of working alongside a truly passionate, creative, and hardworking tennis team who bring our tennis products to life through the campaigns we create. It’s been amazing to witness the brand growth and also the success of our athletes over the past few years. What makes On special is the unique opportunity we have to collaborate closely with athletes. They don’t just endorse our products but they work directly with our product designers, sharing their insights and feedback to help create the best possible output.
"With On, innovation is more than just a word – it’s part of who they are. I’ve seen firsthand how their drive for excellence touches everything they do. Together, we’re pushing the boundaries of performance and inspiring the next generation to dream big and chase their goals." – Roger Federer
How do you expand credibility as a running company to grow into tennis as a vertical?
Greg White, Senior Director of Brand Strategy:
When we think about building credibility in any sport, we start with product and the connection to athletes. With tennis, Roger’s partnership gave us instant credibility in this space. Knowing one of the greatest tennis players of all time was behind the designs of our first on-court product – and that he was wearing them – cemented our credentials from the start. Our willingness to partner with and innovate for our elite tennis stars like Iga and Ben, and tell their stories only helps enhance this.
Innovation is one of our foundational pillars as a brand and whether it’s running, tennis, or another sport, our credibility is built on our ability to innovate for athletes. From there, it's about building strong bonds with our community, connecting with them on the ground level.
How do we go about spotting new and emerging talent?
Feliciano Robayna, Head of Athlete Management for Tennis and Isabel Peil, Athlete Partnerships Manager for Tennis:
At On, we are committed to making a significant impact on the tennis court by identifying and supporting talented players who possess not only immense potential but also a relentless work ethic, charisma, and strong human values. We believe in signing not just exceptional athletes, but also good people.
Our current roster reflects this diversity: Iga, for instance, is making waves at the top of the sport and inspiring millions worldwide. Meanwhile, players like Ben, João, and Flavio Cobolli are each carving their own paths up the rankings, showcasing their unique styles from the US, Brazil and Italy. Ultimately, we’re on the lookout for fresh faces who can electrify the game with their talent and attitude, ensuring they have a strong support system to thrive both on and off the court.
What’s our approach to building trusting relationships with these athletes?
Feliciano and Isabel:
With our small, dedicated team, we’re able to give each athlete personalized attention. They can reach out to us directly, or we work through their agents depending on the situation and timing. We always aim to remain approachable and keep and open atmosphere. We keep in constant communication, always seeking their feedback and ensuring they’re involved in decision-making. We know that athletes appreciate having a voice in the process, and it’s something we pride ourselves on.
In addition, we prioritize face-to-face support, attending major events and staying as long as our athletes are competing—not just to support them during their matches but also to be there for anything they may need off the court. This personalized, hands-on approach is something our athletes truly value. We also maintain close relationships with their management teams, staying connected beyond the professional sphere. Our athletes know that any issue, big or small, is treated as a priority, and they can always rely on us to handle it.
Where did we begin with the creative vision for tennis and how has it evolved to what we have now?
Jonatan O. Akay, Head of Group Creative:
Tennis has such a rich history and many people associate the sport with its heritage. But as a young brand that challenges some very established ones, we knew we wanted to represent – and to some extent create – the future of tennis culture. It’s a great space to play in because we get to define our own rules and reimagine the culture with the help of progressive tennis communities, our athletes and incredible product.
Michel Giesbrecht, Art Director:
Stepping into this new chapter, we deliberately looked outside of tennis for inspiration. We pulled from our experience as a running brand but also turned towards unrelated sports like basketball and skateboarding, where creative energy comes directly from within the fanbase and the athletes themselves. The deep connections these sports have with street culture, fashion and music offer a constant source of inspiration. And a similar energy can be observed in tennis. Just like run clubs, we’re starting to see tennis clubs popping up in different cities. These clubs open the courts to people who previously didn’t feel welcome. Newcomers, who are in turn discovering this exciting new generation of tennis players taking over the tour.
How has the rise of tennis as a cultural phenomenon impacted our creative vision?
Jon:
It’s been helpful and encouraging to think that we’re in the middle of a sport culture in evolution, but to be honest it hasn’t impacted what we believe in. The openness and curiosity that comes with a new fanbase though, has allowed us to realize projects like Clubhouse Nights. It’s an idea we’ve been developing for a long time but thinking back, the fall of 2024 was probably the perfect timing to bring the first one to life.
How does On’s tone of voice show up in tennis?
Iain Fuller, Copy Specialist:
On's tone in tennis reflects our overall identity. It's bold, innovative and performance-driven, with just a touch of Swiss precision, understated elegance and humor. We champion the challenging of conventions and the pushing of boundaries, both in our products and our communication style. This translates to messaging that's confident and inspiring, encouraging athletes, fans and everybody in between to redefine what's possible on and off the court.
As a producer, how do you keep the vision of the team on track considering the complexities of the tennis calendar?
Alexia Vitasse, Senior Producer:
Working with tennis athletes, we’re at the mercy of their schedules and whereabouts. That means it’s up to our team to be adaptive and creative to make the variables work for us, not against us. As a producer, I keep us on track by making sure the team always has the right information and by provideing them with the perspective needed to move forward.
In the end, it all comes down to trust. Trust that everyone has the best interest of the project in mind. Trust that everyone is heard. Trust that everyone works hard. And trust that we work as a team. But building trust is also hard work. It takes transparency and vulnerability and we’ve been lucky to work on those things through some incredible productions.
When you’re designing for a brand activation what’s the experience you try to bring to On’s community?
Carolina Sanches, Graphic Designer:
Our approach to graphic design for tennis is about combining our affinity for precision with the dynamic nature of the sport. We focus on clean, structured visuals using grid-based layouts that help communicate key messages with clarity. Typography plays a crucial role in our designs, we use On Diatype as modern and bold characteristics. To convey the speed and energy of tennis, we often use visuals and illustrations that capture motion, sometimes with abstract or pixelated imagery. Collaborations with artists, like those for the Clubhouse Nights event, allow us to integrate athletic performance with lifestyle and cultural significance, giving the designs a broader context.
Maybe what makes Tennis a bit different visually from other verticals, is the color choice. We use a refined color palette, balancing Swiss design’s preference for restraint, with bold colors from the excitement of tennis. Strong contrasts and clean lines keep everything visually impactful and energetic. The result is an experience that feels modern, dynamic, and deeply rooted in Swiss design’s focus on simplicity and functionality.
Juliana Cortes, Trade Campaign Designer:
The key is to create an immersive, engaging, and memorable experience that embodies the some of our brand values, such as innovation and performance, and then bring in the connection to the community, while also tapping into the passion and excitement around the sport. The journey is thoughtfully designed to offer visitors a unique experience, inviting them to become part of the On universe. Through carefully selected design materials, precise finishing, and thoughtfully applied color accents, we aim to create something immersive that reflects the simplicity and functionality of Swiss design. This approach is combined with On’s commitment to technical excellence and an emphasis on detail in construction and design.
A brand activation for On brings together art direction, storytelling, graphic design, and spatial design into a seamless experience. The result is both inspiring and authentic, inviting guests to connect more deeply with On and the world of tennis.
Can you share more on the growth of the vertical from the product POV: from developing for athletes only to on & off-court head-to-toe?
Katariina Tuohimaa-Mendel, Head of Product Strategy:
The last couple of years have been extremely exciting as we have built and elevated our product offering for both performance and lifestyle, across apparel, footwear and accessories.
For performance products, it's such a privilege to have a close connection and collaboration with our athletes. They all bring their unique perspectives and have provided a lot of insight and inspiration for our products. The first performance shoe for us was THE ROGER Pro, which was created for Roger with Roger – and from its effortlessly elegant design to all its performance features, the shoe speaks to Roger and his style. The additions of Pro 2 and Clubhouse Pro, which both launched in 2024, helped us reach new players and tennis communities. We also have a couple very exciting performance models launching next year, and I can't wait to see them out in the world.
We launched performance apparel on our athletes just in 2023, and a year later in 2024, it became commercially available for everyone. It's been amazing to see the full head-to-toe creative vision come to life in some of the biggest arenas of the sport. The apparel team has done a remarkable job at creating such striking collections at a lightning speed.
What really excites me for the years to come is not only the performance side but our tennis lifestyle offer and how it's evolving. There are some very compelling court lifestyle products in the pipeline. Each season I see our unique vision of the future tennis culture coming to life more and more through the products and collections we are creating.
The design team plans two seasons ahead. What does it look like to design for the future?
Jono Hampton, Director of footwear design for Tennis and Nina Riedl, Apparel design senior lead:
Our design philosophy blends creativity and data-driven insights, focusing on the future rather than the present. We align every decision with our long-term plans (LRPs) and core brand values, ensuring consistency with our vision.
By staying ahead of trends in color, pattern, and style, we forecast what will resonate with consumers in upcoming seasons. We also integrate macro trends—cultural, seasonal, and fashion shifts—to ensure our designs meet future tennis-specific needs. Innovation in performance is key. We incorporate the latest materials and technologies, pushing boundaries to ensure our products perform and evolve. Our designs remain rooted in our brand's identity, staying true to the LRP's core narrative.
We actively seek pro player and consumer feedback to address emerging needs, while iterative user testing helps refine products before launch. Our cross-departmental collaboration ensures cohesive, functional designs that are feasible to produce. With careful attention to supply chain considerations, we plan for materials, sourcing, and manufacturing lead times, ensuring readiness for future releases.
Finally, each design is driven by a compelling narrative—every product tells a story that connects our vision with the evolving needs of the market. This narrative-driven innovation allows us to stay aligned with both our creative goals and the demands of the future.
How did the team create an experience on our website for the customer to discover On as also a tennis brand? How do you determine the success of the digital roll-out?
Yume Parr, Digital Campaigns Senior Specialist:
We crafted a compelling on-site experience positioning On as an authentic tennis brand, connecting to both dedicated players and casual fans. We mix storytelling with our products to build a cohesive understanding of On’s commitment to tennis, with an ambition to shape the future of the sport both on and off the court.
We have a tennis collection page to highlight our latest apparel and footwear, with On athletes showcasing our performance and lifestyle gear, and dedicated content enables visitors to discover more about them. Additionally, we have a page for our partnership with Roger Federer and THE ROGER franchise to further solidify On’s place in the tennis world. The digital journey is carefully optimized for organic discoverability through search engines and intuitive on-site navigation, establishing On as a go-to destination for tennis enthusiasts.
To gauge the success of our digital roll-out, we monitor KPIs. We continuously work on optimizing the digital experience by conducting A/B tests and introducing new features. We’ll continue to evolve our on-site experience in response to consumer behavior and business needs, with exciting developments planned for 2025 and beyond.
What resonates with On’s tennis community? Where do you see momentum in tennis culture?
Joana Gasparini, Social Media Specialist:
On’s tennis community is all about innovation and style—gear that works as hard as they do on the court while looking effortlessly cool off it. We know our community loves products that combine top performance with everyday versatility, letting them smash their goals and their style game at the same time.
Tennis is in an exciting new phase, mixing its classic charm with fresh ideas from fashion, wellness, and even music. It’s becoming more than just a sport—it’s part of a lifestyle that people love both on and off the court. Tech is also making a big impact, with smart wearables and tools helping players train better. At the same time, tennis is growing fast in new parts of the world, and its link to health and mindfulness is drawing more people in. On has a great opportunity to be part of this shift, bringing its mix of innovation and style to a sport that’s changing in all the right ways.