Not Just a Fighter - UFC

Written By Ryan

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has exploded in popularity in recent years, but still struggles to appeal to a more casual audience.

The sport itself can turn audiences off before they even try watching, as competitive mixed martial arts was introduced to the world with the stigma that it was a sport for uncivilized savages who just liked to watch violence. To change the way the general public sees the UFC, and MMA at large, I am proposing a campaign that humanizes fighters and makes them more relatable.

There will be two types of advertisements, long form video, for traditional outlets and platforms like YouTube, and short form, for social media platforms like Instagram.

Long Form Video

This video should harness comedic elements, as the core of it is the duality of each fighter. We will first show them doing something in everyday life that they genuinely enjoy (Robert Whittaker and playing video games, Dustin Poirier and cooking, Rose Namajunas and playing the piano). Then, after short narration, we cut quickly to clips of the fighters knocking out opponents and being beasts in the octagon.

Copy for part 1 of the ad (currently being filmed) should read something like this:

  • In his spare time, former interim champion and top lightweight contender Dustin Poirier enjoys cooking Louisiana classics, like gumbo, for his family. - Narrator

  • “Especially gumbo.” - Poirier

  • Former middleweight king and number one contender, Robert Whittaker, here, loves gaming. Even when it doesn’t go his way. - Narrator

  • *Whittaker gets angry at his game*

  • And the current women’s strawweight queen Rose Namajunas enjoys filling her home with lovely music from her piano. - Narrator

  • *Namajunas plays the piano*

  • You see, we’re not savages. - Narrator

  • “Well, maybe a little bit.” - Namajunas

  • *Namajunas winks*

  • Advertisement cuts to the following video

Short Form Ad

Each short form ad will follow the same format, utilizing fighters’ nicknames and their interests outside of the octagon (Videos in production). Examples below:

  • Kamaru “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman

    • A nightmare in the octagon

    • Samirah’s dad out of it.

  • “Thug” Rose Namajunas

    • A thug in the octagon

    • A musician out of it.

  • Robert “The Reaper” Whittaker

    • A reaper in the octagon

    • A gamer out of it

  • Toney “El Cucuy” Ferguson

    • A boogeyman in the octagon

    • A dancer out of it

Ryan
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