We were tasked by Saudi Media Company to develop a campaign that introduced Riyadh Season, an entertainment destination in the capital of Saudi Arabia, to the world by creating promotion around its marquee event; the “Battle of the Baddest” boxing matchup.

The fight was between two undisputed kings of combat—World Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury and UFC Champion Francis Ngannou.

This was bigger than the boxing and MMA communities; we needed to get the whole world excited, so we set out to reimagine the tired old boxing promo and create a piece of art as big and spectacular as the fight itself.

To launch the biggest crossover fight the world has seen, we showcased World Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury and UFC Champion Francis Ngannou not as mere men, but as kings.

The idea was to represent Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou as two world class titans and highlight their unique journey’s to success. Ushering the next generation of fighting by looking to warriors of the past and elevating a fight between two men into a battle between two kingdoms—boxing and MMA.

The work was brought to life with legendary photographer, Nick Knight and Academy-Award winning costume designer, Sandy Powell, who helped ensure stone was left unturned as we crafted every element of the piece—from their outfits to the backgrounds and beyond.

Our objective was to make Riyadh Season, a top entertainment destination in Saudi Arabia and the world, even more appealing to fans in the US, Canada, and Europe. The festival kicks off with the fight between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou, called The Battle of the Baddest.

In the US, there aren’t many boxing fans. In fact, in a recent survey, 50% of men and 60% of women surveyed said they have no interest in boxing. So, in order to generate mass market appeal and also communicate the excitement of Riyadh Season, we took two approaches: (1) Create a larger than life narrative for both of the fighters and (2) Utilize unmissable, premium media placements to ensure the work was omnipresent. The campaign captured broad attention beyond just boxing fans and was positively received across social media.

The execution is a full design system and collection of collateral assets that ranges from promotional materials to tickets, merchandise, on premise credentials, arena branding and even the fighters walk-in wardrobe and theme. Each design choice was the result of a rigorous audit of other/campaigns and influenced by the creative theme (battling Kings) as interpreted through each fighter's unique background. The result is a truly integrated system that has been hailed across the industry as “the best promotion of all time”.

This work was part of a multi-channel campaign that accumulated a staggering 10.5 billion impressions, which translated into an earned media value of $30.7 million. The campaign engaged over 104,000 individuals in online discussions which involved a 57% positive sentiment rate, solidifying its imprint as a resonant and positively received body of work. (Sources Netbase & Meltwater - PR Social Listening)