Elev8 responds to my ¢0.02?

I sent out an email yesterday titled: “The gutsy secret to 10x-ing the number of eyeballs your brand gets (timid marketers beware…)”

Now I later uploaded that same email to my Email Echoes page…

…and forwarded it to a fitness food brand – Elev8.

You’ll remember that brand cutting off Martin Fitzgerald – the guy involved in the recent Arnold Classic beef – as his sponsor.

I didn’t expect anything when I forwarded my take to them – just thought I’d share another perspective they might find interesting…

But today…

I woke up to find they replied to me.

I won’t share the email but I’ll leave this quick TL;DR of it:

• They told me they appreciate my angle/another perspective on this situation…
• Then they pointed out how BOTH Martin and Nick are/were sponsored by them…
• To which they said they’re convinced I understand how a beef between athletes sponsored by the same company required actions to be taken.

I will say I do agree – actions were required to be taken…

Although i don’t fully agree on their severity.

Some actions in life/business/sport are “One-way doors”…

…and some are “Two-way doors”.

(If you have zero clue what I’m on about, then check out my “Two-way doors.” email – it’s uploaded on my Email Echoes page.)

Elev8 chose to enter a One-way door – because I don’t believe they’re having Martin sponsored ever again, it’s an irreversible commitment.

(Unless they make him an offer he can’t refuse – then Martin might change his mind lol.)

What would a Two-way door have looked like if they entered through it?

Well, for starters…

NOT dropping Martin.

(Although I understand how that’s easier said than done currently – he’s getting a lot of flak and the social media mob has their pitchforks out right now…)

Now after that?

Clear up the beef between Martin & Nick – it’s 100% real and there’s obviously some bad blood there…

But once you’ve gone through the probably long & strenuous effort of clearing it up?

I’d REIGNITE it again.

Albeit at a level where the beef doesn’t contain any bad blood like it does now – but more of a beef “for show”.

Why?

Because – as I said yesterday – conflict/drama simply sells like gangbusters.

(Not only does it sell, but it’s actually GOOD for the sport.)

And Elev8 could’ve been in a totally unique position – which I’m not sure any other brand has been in before…

Where they sponsor BOTH athletes in a high-profile rivalry!

When has that ever happened?

Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman had different sponsors in the early 2000s…

Kai Greene and Phil Heath had different sponsors in the early-to-mid 2010s…

Sponsoring just ONE of the athletes behind a high-profile beef/rivalry like this brings an abundance of extra eyeballs, traffic and – consequently – sales…

(I found out about them because of this whole ordeal – so think of how many others are out there like me, how many extra eyeballs that is…)

Now just picture being the sponsor of BOTH.

(For instance, imagine Messi and Ronaldo both being sponsored by Nike.)

I can’t recall that ever happening.

Therefore, while I can understand Elev8’s POV…

I essentially still stand by what I said yesterday.

Would it be tougher to spin up this drama for the benefit of your brand than it usually is?

(Considering they sponsor – or I should say sponsored – both of them…)

Yes, especially right now at the beginning – where you’d have to sit them both down and give your 120% to help them resolve this bad blood…

(Perhaps you’d have to even go as far as hiring a psychologist or two…)

But if you managed to cross that bridge?

It could’ve been so well worth it – for all parties.

That’s just my ¢0.02