It's 100 years since bananas hit the UK fruit bowl and what a perfect excuse for the Banana Group to take the headlines at the start of Wimbledon. Using this anniversary as a media hook, the Banana Group saw its giant bananas take top honours when it came to coverage on the first day of this unique tennis tournament.
Three giant bananas joined forces to hand out thousands of bananas to the crowds that had slept out overnight in the hope of getting tickets for the first days play.
At the same time, a 45 foot float, featuring 11' banana plants, a six-piece steel band and a three meter banana sculpture on the top of its cab, toured the perimeter of the All England Tennis Club, handing out even more free bananas.
This did not go un-noticed by the television cameras. Throughout the morning, bananas took center stage on all the televised reports, resulting in coverage on GMTV, Channel 4 and Sky Sports.
This was followed by more than 20 radio interviews with key stations around the UK – all of which underlined the energy-giving properties of this unique tropical fruit.
The Banana Group anticipates even greater media exposure during the two-week tennis tournament. Rare is the match where its energy-packed fruit does not make an appearance. In fact, during the Wimbledon fortnight, the players eat more than 35 boxes of bananas before, during and after the matches.
As well as the fruit itself, this year the Banana Group has invested in a fun banana 'sun visor', thousands of which will be given out during the tournament.
With ITV, the BBC and Sky Sport covering all key matches, there is little doubt that, players apart, bananas – and banana hats - are going to be the stars of Centre Court.
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