Project Details
Duration
November 2017 -TBD
Role
UX/UI Designer | Branding
Responsibilities
Research, Sketching, Paper wireframes, Sitemap, logo design, Brand management, Content Creation, Merchandise, E-commerce, Social Commerce
Challenges
Mixed martial arts (MMA) has rapidly emerged as one of the fastest-growing sports globally, captivating audiences with its blend of skill, strategy, and raw athleticism. Over the past decade, MMA has seen exponential growth, with major promotions like the UFC & Bellator expanding their reach to new markets and drawing record-breaking pay-per-view numbers. I couldn't help but notice a significant factor in this rise is the way fighters have adeptly branded themselves, leveraging social media and personal narratives to build loyal fan bases and create lucrative opportunities both inside and outside the cage.
After conducting and analyzing an competitive audit, developing a brand model that resonates with the diverse MMA community requires a focus on authenticity and inspiration. The MMA audience is drawn to the sport's raw, unfiltered nature and the unique stories of its fighters. By embracing the varied backgrounds and cultures within the mma community, the brand could foster a sense of inclusivity and connection, appealing to both hardcore fans and newcomers alike.
The major challenges faced while creating, building and maintaining the brand are identified below:
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How will we build a brand that focuses on authenticity and inspiration?
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How do we leverage social media to build a brand?
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What personal narrative will we tell while building our brand?
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How will we create lucrative opportunities inside and outside of the cage?
Brand Architecture
Solutions
The solutions to these challenges included addressing brand strategy, brand partnerships, content production, and the development of the ideal online presence.
STORY TELLING - PERSONAL NARRATIVE
What personal narrative will we tell while building our brand?
Content production and brand storytelling allows us to have a say in the way our brand is portrayed. Daily social content allows anyone who follows the athletes to see what niche content is being put out, and the day to day life of the athlete While building this brand the athletes personal narrative is that he loves living a passion driven life and that he hopes to inspire others to live a passion driven life
How will we create lucrative opportunities inside and outside of the cage?
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Brand Strategy, Content Production, E-Commerce (Social Commerce & Drop Shipping )
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Our brand content needed to be niche specific (tech- athletics-health) so that technology recruiters knew who we were outside of the cage, and athlethic promoters knew who we were inside of the cage!
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We will create more lucrative opportunities by using skills to design, build, create products that we can grow using our network inside and outside of the cage.
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RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN
Starting the Design
Paper Wireframes
Feature Ideation by screen
Website SiteMap
How will we create lucrative opportunities inside and outside of the cage?
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Brand Strategy, Content Production, E-Commerce (Social Commerce & Drop Shipping )
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Our brand content needed to be niche specific (tech- athletics-health) so that technology recruiters knew who we were outside of the cage, and athlethic promoters knew who we were inside of the cage!
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We will create more lucrative opportunities by using skills to design, build, create products that we can grow using our network inside and outside of the cage.
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LOGO DESIGN
Created 2017
Created 2021
REBRANDING
ATHLETICS - COMMUNITY EVENTS - TECHNOLOGY
How will we build a brand that focuses on authenticity and inspiration?
Brand Strategy allows us to address authenticity and inspiration challenges! Based on research one solution to developing a brand that focuses on authenticity, is to create a brand inspired by the athletes passions. In this case the athlete happens to be passionate about mental and physical health, and technology. The brand should simply aim to inspire people using storying telling, and by highlighting the personal journey, struggles, and triumphs of the athlete, making them relatable and inspirational.
ATHLETICS - FOOD & BEVERAGE - TECHNOLOGY
How will we build a brand that focuses on authenticity and inspiration?
Brand Strategy allows us to address authenticity and inspiration challenges! Based on research one solution to developing a brand that focuses on authenticity, is to create a brand inspired by the athletes passions. In this case the athlete happens to be passionate about mental and physical health, and technology. The brand should simply aim to inspire people using storying telling, and by highlighting the personal journey, struggles, and triumphs of the athlete, making them relatable and inspirational.
How will we create lucrative opportunities inside and outside of the cage?
-
Brand Strategy, Content Production, E-Commerce (Social Commerce & Drop Shipping )
-
We will create more lucrative opportunities by using skills to design, build, create products that we can grow using our network inside and outside of the cage.
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ATHLETICS - MARKETING - CONTENT CREATION
How will we build a brand that focuses on authenticity and inspiration?
Brand Strategy allows us to address authenticity and inspiration challenges! Based on research one solution to developing a brand that focuses on authenticity, is to create a brand inspired by the athletes passions. In this case the athlete happens to be passionate about mental and physical health, and technology. The brand should simply aim to inspire people using storying telling, and by highlighting the personal journey, struggles, and triumphs of the athlete, making them relatable and inspirational.
@1125design
ATHLETICS - BRANDING - MERCHANDISE
How will we build a brand that focuses on authenticity and inspiration?
Brand Strategy allows us to address authenticity and inspiration challenges! Based on research one solution to developing a brand that focuses on authenticity, is to create a brand inspired by the athletes passions. In this case the athlete happens to be passionate about mental and physical health, and technology. The brand should simply aim to inspire people using storying telling, and by highlighting the personal journey, struggles, and triumphs of the athlete, making them relatable and inspirational.
How will we create lucrative opportunities inside and outside of the cage?
-
Brand Strategy, Content Production, E-Commerce (Social Commerce & Drop Shipping )
-
We will create more lucrative opportunities by using skills to design, build, create products that we can grow using our network inside and outside of the cage.
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E- Commerce
Social Commerce
ATHLETICS - TECHNOLOGY - BRAND PARTNERSHIP
How will we build a brand that focuses on authenticity and inspiration?
Brand Strategy allows us to address authenticity and inspiration challenges! Based on research one solution to developing a brand that focuses on authenticity, is to create a brand inspired by the athletes passions. In this case the athlete happens to be passionate about mental and physical health, and technology. The brand should simply aim to inspire people using storying telling, and by highlighting the personal journey, struggles, and triumphs of the athlete, making them relatable and inspirational.
How will we create lucrative opportunities inside and outside of the cage?
-
Brand Strategy, Content Production, E-Commerce (Social Commerce & Drop Shipping )
-
Our brand content needed to be niche specific (tech- athletics-health) so that technology recruiters knew who we were outside of the cage, and athlethic promoters knew who we were inside of the cage!
-
We will create more lucrative opportunities by using skills to design, build, create products that we can grow using our network inside and outside of the cage.
-
CONCLUSION
The overall authentic approach to airclaxton's brand development has strategically positioned the athlete for future growth in both the sports and tech industries. By focusing on organic marketing and organic word of mouth brand growth, we've not only laid the foundation for success within MMA but also opened doors to collaborate with other like-minded brands and companies that share a commitment to passion and innovation This approach ensures that the brand remains authentic and impactful, resonating across multiple sectors and creating valuable opportunities for the future.