More than
a Martial Art.
UFC is a strong brand known worldwide. The mark remains consistent in 2022 such as their sub-brand UFC Gym, which offers not only Martial Art classes, but also spin, yoga, group workouts and cross-training. We were invited to build a new branding and visual identity for UFC Jiu Jitsu and get it more consistent and with a powerful look. And the most important message we needed to send: Jiu Jitsu is for everyone. Kids, women and men (in opposite to what many others thinks that is just for very strong and young men). So we started to think this as a brand and analyze what we could do to get this message in a great mood, not heavy and tell this is to everyone.
Project: 2020
Visual Identity & Graphic Design: Gu Sobral
Illustrations: Gu Sobral
Account Manager: Carlos Cardinalli
Photography: Flavio Scorsato
Color Scheme
The color palette is an important asset along the process in order to identify the different categories in the universe of Jiu-Jitsu and for the students and teachers separate it easily. So we decided to keep the original UFC Gym red for the institutional materials. Then, we brought 3 new colors for each category: blue, as a passive and calm color, for the self-defense; gold for the traditional jiu jitsu; and the green, which brings a free and wild feel, for the No-Gi Jiu Jitsu.
The Promotion Events
In Jiu Jitsu, events are as important as the classes. Is where the students are promoted to higher levels and a great opportunity to them and to the teachers to show their work. So we decided to use illustrations in belt and rank promotion key visuals to give it a powerful and ludic feel. With that said and done, this also could be use as beautiful souvenirs such as posters and t-shirts. We used different backgrounds for each region with the same central image in all of them.
The Challenge Events
Also in a very ludic feel, we decided to bring some Hollywood reference to this, almost like a movie poster. We wanted to put teachers and students as heroes, giving it a very powerful look and bringing everyone to the poster: students, women, men and kids. We also changed the colors in the background for each region.
