Today, a distinction exists between branded content and, well, just content. It’s as if adding the word “branded” before the word “content” creates a different set of expectations regarding budgets, length, production quality, storytelling devices, and means of distribution.

Often times, branded content pieces are short videos created by ad agencies on behalf of brands. Most times, brands put paid media behind this content (either straightforward paid media or seeding) with hopes of going viral. You won’t see branded content playing in a cinema, as a show on Fox, or released to DVD.

On the other side of the chasm, there is content such as films, TV shows, and theater. These are the works created by production houses and networks in an attempt to monetize at the box office and by selling the content to networks and other distribution platforms.

After doing work on Georges St-Pierre’s (GSP) personal brand for more than three years, we wondered if we could combine the best of both worlds.

We sought to create a piece of content that would eliminate the distinction between content a brand pays for people to watch, and content people and distribution platforms pay to watch and screen.

We created 'Takedown: The DNA of GSP' in partnership with a sports league, a content distribution company, and the athlete’s management, which helped the documentary find its way to cinemas across Canada, as well as to TV channels like The Movie Network in Canada and Fox Networks in the US. GSP’s social network and PR events also contributed to spreading the word.

The documentary has been bought to play on 22 screens in Australia and four screens in New Zealand. A coffee table book with photos from the production of the movie is also in the works. US theatrical release is under negotiation with major distribution companies, and the film has been picked up by The Movie Central & The Movie Network to broadcast in May 2014 on HBO Canada. Fox Sport 1 has picked up the movie for the US market. Air Canada will broadcast the movie starting may 2014. The movie is available on Pay Per View and View On Demand on Illico / Indigo and Bell in Canada and will be available on iTunes Canada April 1st.

The average per film copy of Takedown was $211.

As a reference:

Jack Ryan: $181

Vampire Academy: $122

Ride Along: $256