I was channel surfing the other night and stopped on an advertisement for “UFC 2009 Undisputed.” It’s a new video game by THQ set to release May 19th and based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). It features mixed martial-arts fighters in the world and the TV ad was an effective stop-action mix of real fighting sequences with scenes from the actual game to hook the gamer.
But, what caught my eye was the blue-chip marketing partner– Harley-Davidson –logo splashed all around the fighting ring. The main fighting mat has a proportionately sized bar-and-shield logo. Embedding the HD logo in the octagon is a pretty big statement as the sport of mixed martial arts has come of age. The UFC was initially scorned by sponsors, regulators and the media alike for its more often than not brutal, no-holds-barred brawling. However, the UFC has seen its revenue grow more than tenfold to about $300M in just three years as it spreads around the globe, attracting new supporters and marketing partners like Harley-Davidson.
I’m not a fan. But let’s face it, the UFC growth has been nothing less than meteoric. And the sweet spot demographic (18-27 year old) views it as a real and viable sport. In my view the mixed-martial-arts sport has always had a unique atmosphere and style that’s never been captured quite properly. Sure there is a lot of drama — to witness bloody fists and a guy laid out on the mat – but, don’t folks who participate in an enterprise that train dogs for fighting matches use the same logic?
Given the tough economy, management exodus, York Plant costs… is this the best time for H-D marketing to invest advertising $$ on something par with the NBA or MLB (seven-figure range) to help the beleaguered company get back up on its feet? Is Harley punch drunk? H-D’s imprimatur is in many ways the ultimate mark of legitimacy to what many feel is a questionable “sport.”
Photo courtesy of THQ/UFC.
