UFC launches more consistent look

The Ultimate Fighting Championship, known to its fans as UFC, is the world's dominating organisation in the sport of mixed martial arts. It organises championships and produces events for the sport. Over the weekend, it launched a new visual identity, developed with Hollywood-based motion branding agency Troika.

Overall, the new identity should feel premium, electric and lionhearted; UFC's brand attributes. It also places the competitors at the centre. UFC is a sport that is usually enjoyed on television and an important part of the new branding was a new graphics package with innovative ways of providing information to the viewer.

The logo has been given a slight update, but the brand architecture has been given a thorough redesign with consistent logos for UFC's products and other activities.

Previous logo.

Old brand architecture.

New brand architecture.

From a press release:

"UFC’s new visual identity, designed in partnership with Hollywood-based branding and marketing agency Troika, celebrates the UFC position as an undeniable force in the world of sport. It further brings to life the UFC brand attributes: premium, electric and lionhearted, while also elevating UFC athletes as larger-than-life heroes.

The broadcast will feature innovations throughout the on-screen information system, enabling depth of storytelling while enhancing the viewing experience with a low profile footprint that does not distract from the action in the famed Octagon®. UFC also moves to center clock in broadcast – a first in combat sports.

“UFC has and always will be true to its DNA,” UFC Chief Global Brand Officer Garry Cook said. “We didn’t set out to reinvent ourselves, we looked at ways to build on our solid foundation and better deliver on a broad range of storytelling components, providing more context and meaning, and further enhancing the viewing experience for our fans.”

With an increasing slate of content available across a wide range of platforms, design elements where heavily focused on providing navigational clarity and product differentiation for fans. The newly designed logo architecture and brand signatures, which include an ownable tab system utilized across all UFC properties, will be especially prominent in marketing and promotional materials serving to distinguish Pay-Per-View (PPV) events from broadcast and those exclusive to UFCFIGHTPASS.com. "