Inoue vs Nery | Global Event Coverage
The 7th Annual Awards
- Best Global Campaign
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
On May 6, 2024, Naoya Inoue's fight against Luis Nery at Tokyo Dome required Top Rank Boxing's social media team to navigate unique challenges, including geoblocking restrictions that limited access for Japanese fans and time zone differences affecting their American audience. Through bold storytelling and real-time adaptability, the team successfully connected with both audiences, achieving 45 million video views, 56 million impressions, and the #1 trending topic on X (Twitter) during the event.
How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?
**Embracing Authenticity Over Perfection:**
By showcasing Naoya Inoue’s knockdown as a pivotal narrative moment rather than shying away from it, Top Rank broke the mold of traditional promotional strategies in sports. This bold decision to present vulnerabilities and real-time drama sets a new standard for authenticity, enhancing emotional engagement with fans.
**Localized Content for Diverse Audiences:**
Despite geoblocking restrictions in Japan, the tailored content strategy (non-fight action, celebratory visuals) ensured the local Japanese fanbase felt connected. This dual approach of catering to global and local audiences simultaneously is an innovative benchmark for international events.
**Maximizing Limited Resources for Impact:**
With only one on-site team member and geoblocking restrictions, the campaign showcased how strategic planning and remote collaboration can overcome logistical challenges. This sets a benchmark for resource optimization in delivering high-impact fan experiences.
Objective
On May 6th, 2024, Naoya Inoue stepped into the Tokyo Dome for what was expected to be the crowning moment of his career with 55,000 fans in attendance and millions more watching around the globe. Inoue, hailing from Zama, Kanagawa, Japan, was poised to solidify his status as one of boxing’s all-time greats. However, for Top Rank Boxing’s social media team, the event came with a unique set of challenges that threatened to overshadow the celebration.
Challenges Faced:
- **Limited resources on-site:** Only one member of the social media team was able to travel to Tokyo, requiring the rest of the team to work remotely across time zones.
- **Geoblocking restrictions:** All fight footage from the event had to be geoblocked from Japan, preventing Inoue’s largest and most engaged fanbase from seeing the content Top Rank produced.
- **Time zone hurdles:** The main card began at 4:00 AM ET on a Monday, making it difficult to engage Top Rank’s largest audience in the United States.
- **Unplanned narrative twists:** Naoya Inoue was knocked down in the first round—the first of his career—taking the narrative from a triumphant coronation to a new narrative that had yet to be written.
Strategy & Execution
In Tokyo, a lone team member with a DSLR camera was stationed on the ring apron to capture pivotal moments, ensuring high-quality video content could be immediately sent to the U.S.-based team. While this setup limited mobility, three account managers remotely provided live updates across platforms, and two video editors crafted real-time, social-ready highlights. The team adopted a bold, urgent approach to engage U.S. audiences waking up just as Naoya Inoue's fight began at 8:00 AM ET. Posts, starting with his walkout, were written in all caps to amplify anticipation, with energy peaking when Inoue was shockingly knocked down in the first round.
Rather than avoiding the knockdown, the team reframed it as a turning point, posting [“DOWN GOES INOUE. DOWN GOES INOUE,”](https://x.com/trboxing/status/1787454098335318072) portraying the moment as an opportunity for Inoue to prove his resilience. This narrative shift captured the essence of a champion's heart, building suspense and engagement.
To connect with Japanese fans amid geoblocking restrictions, the team focused on non-fight content, celebrating Inoue's historic win through [hand-raise videos](https://x.com/trboxing/status/1787462015113429063), [post-fight interviews](https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=313765141614472), and [high-quality visuals](https://x.com/trboxing/status/1787459012994503055). This strategy respected broadcast limitations while showcasing the event’s electric atmosphere, bridging global audiences and ensuring all fans felt part of the moment.
Organizations
- Top Rank Boxing
Featured
- Naoya Inoue: boxing's Undisputed junior featherweight world champion
Credits
Todd duBoef
President
Top Rank Boxing
Morgan Dewan
Chief Brand Officer
Top Rank Boxing
Joe Setley
Head of Content Strategy
Top Rank Boxing
Maddie Dobbins
Director of Content Programming
Top Rank Boxing
Jaylen Dominguez
Senior Social Media Coordinator
Top Rank Boxing
Lyndsey Jacobs
Social Media Coordinator
Top Rank Boxing
Perry Mellone
Editor
Top Rank Boxing
AJ Mallardi
Editor
Top Rank Boxing
Daniel Aquitañia
Graphic Designer
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Karla Figueroa
Social
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