5 reasons for MMA's Success and Why Brands Should Pay attention is part of Fuse’s ongoing White Paper Insights Series to educate those who wish to speak more effectively to teens and young adults. The series includes information on media behavior, social media, design, web strategy, the future concerns of millennials, and other relevant topics for marketers trying to reach this demographic. For more white papers in this series, go to http://www.facebook.com/FuseLLC.

1. YOUTH CULTURE INSIGHTS SERIES
NOTE Fuse has developed an ongoing
Youth Culture Insights Series to
educate those who wish to speak
1. Properties like the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) recognized the
importance of social media from the start and utilized it as a primary means to
communicate with fans. Today, UFC has over 5 million Facebook fans and its President Dana
more effectively to teens and young White has 1.4 million followers on Twitter. (By comparison, the NFL has 3.2 million Facebook
adults. The series includes fans and Commissioner Roger Goddell has 147,000 followers.) Many social media experts
information on media behavior, social would say UFC has found the right balance of content – moving easily from providing
media, design, web strategy, the information about events, to driving consumers to shop their online store, to promoting
future concerns of millennials, and upcoming fights. While many teams and leagues use social media solely to promote and sell,
other relevant topics for marketers UFC views it in the way youth culture sees it – to have a conversation.
trying to reach this demographic.
2. MMA is a great spectator sport that requires very little understanding to be enjoyed
by casual fans. Recently Esquire Magazine asked its readers, “What is your favorite spectator
ABOUT Founded in 1995, Fuse is a leading
youth culture marketing agency that
sport?” Ultimate Fighting came in second, behind only football. Sophisticated MMA fans know
the hybrid of tactics and strategies taken from jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing and
FUSE connects brands with teens and wrestling, but that level of fight expertise is not necessary to appreciate the sport and to be
young adults. Fuse provides brand entertained by it. Marketers need not look any further than the decline in participation and
strategy, event marketing, PR, interest of the traditional stick and ball sports over the last ten years to understand the
design, social media, and digital importance of connecting to casual fans. MMA has done this successfully, therefore widening
services to brands and companies their universe for brands to utilize the sport as an effective platform.
that include Mountain Dew,
3.
Gatorade, Harley-Davidson, P&G, MMA is omnipresent in youth culture. MMA’s popularity can in part be attributed to its
Gillette, Nike, and others. accessibility by way of TV, Pay-per-view, mobile, PR, media, events, web, merchandise and
licensing. Much has been written about the decline of traditional media consumption by
Millennials. To navigate this more complicated landscape, MMA properties have intentionally
provided an endless number of opportunities for fans to be introduced to and consume the
sport. With so many platforms available, brands can find the right medium to activate
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facebook.com/FuseLLC 4. MMA properties and UFC in particular, have been early adopters of mobile
technologies. Mobile sites that include all the key features of a website and are optimized for
speed meet the user experience expectations of teens and young adults. For example,
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER Facebook has well over 150 million mobile users (of their 600 million users) and that number is
twitter.com/fuse_marketing
growing rapidly. The success of the iPad, the development of other tablets, and continued
progress of wireless technologies ensure that mobile will soon be the predominant means by
EMAIL US AT which young people access the web. With the majority of MMA fans between the ages of 18-34,
info@fusemarketing.com
the sport is at a huge advantage in gaining fans.
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5. MMA has a year round “season” (UFC televises about 15 events per year.) The sport knows
how to provide its fans with just enough content to keep them coming back for more all year
VT P.O. Box 4509 long, without saturating the market. The seasonality of the other major sports makes those
Burlington, VT / 05406 sports a good fit for some brands to activate at retail – but not all – based on when those
SATELLITE OFFICE seasons are. But in the case of MMA, whether it’s back to school, holiday or another key season,
NY 12 Desbrosses Street brands are able to activate at retail according to their brand’s key selling periods.
New York, NY / 10013