More than an ad, the “Ashe Versus” posters are a tribute to Arthur Ashe - the first black athlete to win the US Open – his tennis heritage and passion for sports. They portrayed a visual representation of the athlete and recreated the atmosphere of a tennis match during Ashe’s career, using a mist to represent the uncertainties he faced without hesitation.

Designed as movie posters to support Moderna’s "Ashe Versus" film, they took inspiration from film noir and jazz album covers, reflecting Ashe’s mysterious and elegant personality. They were displayed in-stadium at the US Open, where the film was

Racial inclusion in clinical trials is neglected in the US pharmaceutical space. Experts say an ideal scenario involves recruiting 30-40% minority participants to match the population. Still, less than 5% of clinical trial participants are Black or African American, according to the FDA.

Moderna is an unsung leader who was born already ahead of this industry issue; back in 2021, they developed their COVID-19 vaccines for all, with a never-before-seen 37% of minority population participants in trials. They even delayed trial timelines to ensure representation.

Similar to pharmaceutics, there's another area that needs more diversity: professional tennis. Only 9% of Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) players are black.

However, an inspiring transformation is happening in the US. As a result of decades of advocacy from Black athletes and allies, there has been a surge in tennis participation, particularly within diverse groups, with a 5.9 million increase in the last 3 years. People of color now represent 38% of the total US tennis player population (including amateur players), which surprisingly is the same representation of minority participants in Moderna's COVID vaccine trial.

African American tennis players quickly become role models and sports idols, like the Williams sisters and, most recently, Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe. But the history of racial equality in tennis goes way back, sparked by an icon that unfortunately is not remembered as he should–Arthur Ashe.

In 2023, the Moderna brand started to lose momentum and presence as US society turned away from COVID-19 pandemic–related topics. The brand needed to carve its own space and relevance in people's lives.

This poster campaign was part of a broader US Open sponsorship effort that had the goal to increase awareness and openness to Moderna and make the brand relevant by itself, beyond its strong association to COVID-19.

Shedding a raw light on Arthur Ashe's story and achievements allowed Moderna to tell a relevant story to the audience while "flexing" one of the brand's biggest strengths (leadership position in clinical trial diversity). The brand caught people's attention in an unexpected way, showing up not only as an advertiser, but as an enabler of Ashe's legacy and the audience's passion for the sport.

Our art direction took inspiration from film noir and jazz album covers, reflecting Ashe’s mysterious and elegant personality. The dramatic shadows combined with the theatrical lighting gave Arthur Ashe the sense of gravitas he deserved. As a champion of black rights and someone who marched against apartheid, Arthur Ashe dared to shine a light on discrimination and brought racism out of the shadows of tennis and the world. Through the execution, Moderna celebrates Ashe as a Change Maker, connecting his story to the brand’s motto: This Changes Everything.