VSME Grappling
Versus Me (VSME) Grappling is a Toronto-based combat sports league.
They organize Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournaments at local academies in Ontario and Quebec, using unique real-time scorekeeping technology.
In January 2019, they approached Tabula seeking help in scaling their business using paid ads and social media.
Industry
Combat Sports League
Timeline
Jan 2019 to
June 2021
Services
Paid Ads,
Social Media
Region
Canada
Industry
Combat Sports League
Timeline
January 2019 to June 2021
Services
Paid Ads, Social Media
Region
Unites States
Industry
Combat
Sports League
Services
Paid Ads,
Social Media
Timeline
January 2019 to
June 2021
Region
Canada
Sales Growth
Engagements
Events
Avg ROAS
Users Reached
The Client
- Category: Combat Sports League
- Product: Local JiuJitsu Tournaments
- Business Type: Online Ticket Sales
- Customers: Jiu Jitsu Hobbyists
- Engagement: Growth Partnership
- Region: Canada
VSME Grappling had real-time scorekeeping tech no other league had. What they did not have was an audience to see it.
Four things stood in the way:
A great product no one heard of
An original format and real scorekeeping tech, but almost no reach beyond a handful of local academies.
No content to show it off
Grappling is thrilling to watch, but VSME had little footage and no consistent brand presence.
Empty seats and slow ticket sales
Events leaned on the same small circle of competitors and fans.
No paid engine to scale
They just needed everybody to see it.
What We Did
We mapped how VSME’s customers make decisions, activated every touchpoint that mattered, and sharpened each one with data over time.
Measurement Foundation
We set up full analytics and tracking with a performance scorecard, so every dollar and order is tracked and owned from day one.
Research & Positioning
We started by learning about their D2C audience, their buyers, and their competitors.
Content Production
Season Trailers
Strategized, directed, and produced multiple season trailers every 6 months.
Women vs Men Idea
Paid Acquisition
Produced ten 15-sec clips around VSME’s unique selling points and ran them on Meta and Google ads to sell tickets and grow the audience efficiently.
Organic Social
Sponsorships
Event Support
Measured from January 2019. Data from SEMrush, Google Search Console, GA4, and ad platforms.
Reach & Audience
400 → 1.6M
Org. YouTube views
2.5k → 2.3M
340 → 500k
Org. engagements
49 → 3.8k
Org. traffic/mo
Content & Brand
20+
Video assets made
500+
3.5%
Avg engagement rate
6
Seasons promoted
Growth & Sales
286%
Sales growth
4.9x
Avg Blended ROAS
38%
Decrease in CAC
12%
Conversion increase
Events & Partnerships
80+
Events promoted
29
Sponsorships secured
$50k+
Sponsorship value
Millions
Reached organically
Hover or tap your screen to see the progress made.
Social Media Presence Results
We understood that the best way to reach more people organically is to create content that is out of the ordinary. For VSME, that was women vs men.
What We Made
Hover or tap your screen to see examples.
Season Trailer Examples
Paid Ad Content Examples
We use traditional platforms like Figma to collaborate on everything.
You approve everything first.
We weren't really sure how to articulate or communicate the benefits of our technology in video format, but Carlos and his team did a flawless job in directing and producing these amazing videos that showcase the value of our tournaments.
Especially with the 15 second clips. Highly recommend!
