Jim Courier finally delivers in Uber Eats’ Australian Open campaign

Uber Eats has returned to the Australian Open spotlight with a campaign starring tennis legend and commentator Jim Courier - this time delivering more than just expert analysis.

The seventh instalment of Uber Eats’ much-loved January tennis campaign, created by Special, imagines a world where Courier finally “lives up to his name”, stepping into the role of an Uber Eats courier amid Melbourne’s summer sporting frenzy.

The campaign builds on Uber Eats’ long-running ‘Get Almost Almost Anything’ platform, tapping into two weeks of national tennis obsession and an estimated audience of more than 13 million Australians tuning into the Australian Open.

The hero film opens with a cameo from Channel Nine presenter and former tennis great Todd Woodbridge, who playfully suggests that Courier had all the makings of a courier long before his surname became a punchline. From there, the former world No 1 is launched into a fast-paced delivery mission, navigating Melbourne’s streets with the same intensity and precision that once defined his forehand.

What follows is a mockumentary-style series of vignettes where Courier draws on his trademark grit, tactical nous and dry humour to keep pace with delivery life - proving he still delivers under pressure, just not always in the way fans expect.

“Working with Uber Eats was a chance to step into a world that moves just as fast as the one I competed in for years,” Courier said. “There’s a rhythm to delivery work - reading the streets, timing your moves, staying calm when things get messy. It’s different pressure, but it’s pressure all the same.”

Pat Rafter also makes a memorable appearance, embracing his own name with a rafting cameo that adds another layer of self-aware humour and a knowing wink to Australian tennis fans. Alongside Woodbridge, the trio bring a familiar chemistry to the campaign, blending nostalgia with comedy and cultural relevance.

Nicole Bardsley, head of marketing for Uber and Uber Eats ANZ, said the Australian Open continues to be a standout moment for the brand.

“The tennis is such a special time every summer - it’s where we get to have a bit of fun with the brand and connect with fans outside of the court,” she said. “Reuniting Jim, Todd and Pat allowed us to build on the equity of previous years while pushing the ‘Get Almost Almost Anything’ platform forward in a way that feels entertaining, distinctive and unmistakably Uber Eats.”

Rebecca Macciolli, marketing manager for Uber and Uber Eats ANZ, said the idea had been hiding in plain sight.

“It’s hard to believe it took us this long to connect one of the most recognisable names in tennis with what we do every day,” she said. “There really is something in a name. This campaign is playful and a little cheeky, while still showing fans that Uber Eats is about far more than meals.”

Special group creative directors Sian Binder and Lea Egan said the team felt the pressure to evolve the brand’s already-strong tennis platform.

“Uber Eats has done so much amazing work around the tennis, so we wanted to find a fresh way in,” they said. “Mockumentary felt like the right approach to tell the true-ish story of Jim Courier, courier, and his surprising - yet not surprising - post-tennis career move.”

A teaser campaign kicked off on 16 January, with sightings of Courier moonlighting as an Uber Eats courier seeded across social and the Daily Mail. The full campaign launched across broadcast TV and BVOD on 18 January and runs through to 31 January, supported by OLV, OOH and TikTok-first social assets.