The objective of this project was to design a sports open for a boxing show to be aired on ESPN. “Fighting Rings” would be aired weekly on ESPN and required a 30-second open. The marketing objective was to shake up the brand and redesign the product to attract a youthful audience to a time slot dominated by 50-year-old males. The task as creative director was to design four frames to pitch the concept to ESPN executives with the last frame incorporating a typographic treatment for “Fighting Rings” and the ESPN logo. In addition to the four frames, a written concept that conveyed the marketing strategy was to be submitted.
Concept for a Show Open
Creative Strategy
Fighting Rings will feature a graphic style that is at once classic and time tested, the visceral splatters and worn textures, and fresh in it’s presentation, edgy typefaces and layered imagery. The overall effect will be familiar to both traditional fight fans who the historic aspect of the sport and younger fans who are used to punched up graphics and sound effects common in video games and the new fighting sports. The sanitized, respectable, “olympic” style of titling and effects will be abandoned.
The gym, the training and preparation for the fights, the pain, sweat and blood– these are the inspirational points for the show open. A white ground will be used to contrast the visceral texture of the title frame and an added element of dimension, and impact, will be found in the cracking glass overlay.