Andy Murray: a modern hero in an old fashioned mould

As Britain hails a new hero in the shape of Wimbledon great Andy Murray, it’s natural to wonder what impact his victory will have on him from a PR point of view.

The genius of Simon Fuller and his team at XIX Entertainment, managers of the tennis star, is that they are building a brand for Murray that allows him to be himself. Murray looks like an old fashioned sportsman; he’s the epitome of the Corinthian spirit, reinvented for a modern, eager audience. |He is not motivated by money or celebrity, he’s genuinely a person with an overwhelming passion for tennis, and his public persona makes us believe that he’d be playing in whatever circumstances: whether that be at a rundown court in a Glasgow park, or on the hallowed lawns of Wimbledon.

After such a momentous victory it’s typical to see stars groomed into sleek, beautiful celebrities, socialising with other glamorous folk at high end parties and the decks of yachts. But I predict we won’t see Murray falling out of nightclubs any time soon, or appearing in ads for Santander. He will be kept within his comfort zone; he’s a boy next door. The fact he’s not a slick communicator actually enhances the brand of the taciturn Scot.

It’s just the beginning for Murray, and with victories like this, it makes perfect sense to let the tennis do the talking.