Purpose-driven marketing with martial arts: Eight lessons from ONE Championship

Low Lai Chow

ONE Championship turned mixed martial arts, Muay Thai and kickboxing into an Asian global sports property.

Martial arts may be what ONE Championship is known for but, according to its founder Chatri Sityodtong, the billion-dollar enterprise isn't really about martial arts.

“We unleash real-life superheroes to ignite the world with hope, strength, dreams and inspiration,” said the Thai entrepreneur at the recent WFA Global Marketer Week, adding that it has become the fastest-growing sports media property in history with millions of fans all over the world because of this combination of values, heroes and stories.

"It’s not about martial arts, it’s not about esports – it’s about humanity."

Perhaps due to being “the first global sports...

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