#KnockoutCoverage Campaign
The campaign began as #CloserThanEver, then evolved to #KnockoutCoverage after the rebrand to Metro by T-Mobile. Metro was the exclusive telecom sponsor for the UFC, and was the first telecom company to provide an online pre-fight live show for multiple fights per year known as The Purple Couch.
As the creative lead for sponsorships, I was responsible for the success of this campaign with little-to-no resources. I art directed, ideated, assumed a director’s roll during shoots, wrote scripts, photographed, animated and designed (both digital & print) for this behemoth of a campaign.
The Purple Couch is part of MMA culture
MetroPCS was filling a void in the UFC with the Purple Couch. The Purple Couch is a 90-minute live stream where hosts Forrest Griffin (UFC Hall of Famer, former UFC LHW Champion, & TUF Season 1 Winner) and Demetrious Johnson (UFC Flyweight Champion with 11 consecutive wins, UFC’s Pound-for-Pound fighter, & 2017 Best Fighter Espy Award winner) deliver pre-fight coverage and exclusive analysis of the UFC, along with special guest ranging from UFC champions/fighters, both former and current, as well as UFC staff such as Sean Shelby, the UFC’s matchmaker.
#CloserThanEver Campaign
Before rebranding, the campaign was known as #CloserThanEver. Although the name changed, the objective remained the same; deliver exclusive coverage of the UFC streamed directly to the consumer’s phone with Metro’s great network.
At the time, no one was covering the UFC like #CloserThanEver, not even ESPN nor FOX. It was a campaign that brought the UFC’s avid fans closer to the UFC than ever before – providing unique value to our audience.
Tune in live to the Purple Couch!
In order to maximize viewership and engagement, we created: 10-15 second videos of UFC fighters hyping the event, Instagram stories, digital assets for various online spaces, social media assets such as changing the brand’s cover photo using UFC assets, and reminders on social media. All of which are ultimately asking the viewers to tune-in. The brand also sponsors a pool of fighters and when victorious, we would post real-time congratulatory image/GIF and a message.
The broadcast is set at the arena where the UFC fight is taking place. During the live broadcast, we giveaway PPV codes for that night’s fight where we use our own custom GIFs that we created to respond to viewers in the comment section, updates, news and current events on the UFC and its fighters, and signed prizes. The Purple Couch has been referenced so many times from the UFC’s social media platform, The Bloody Elbow (an online MMA/UFC news outlet) and many more. We’ve even been retweeted by celebrities, thanks Zedd!
Metro Game Night: Guess The Doodle
This video content is an example of our “Metro Shorts.” This is where we have fun with our Metro fighters (the brand’s sponsored fighters) and provide exclusive insights you will not find anywhere else. Sometimes it’s just the fighters having fun. These are shown after each 30-minute increment during the live stream as a commercial, serving multiple purposes; a break for the talent and staff, as well as providing even more value for the viewers.
