Tunetalk's CEO - Jason Lo Exclusive Interview

Jason Lo CEO of Tunetalk Gives Rear Naked News An Exclusive Interview 

He talks about Tunetalks proposed involvement in Malaysian MMA ~ Sponsoring Eric Kelly, ONE FC a new Malaysian Event and much more.

During this interview we try to find out exactly what is and isn't true about Tunetalk's involvement in Malaysian MMA for 2013 and hopefully beyond.

Here's what Jason kindly told us:

Tune Talk will be presenting OneFC in Kuala Lumpur this year. The details of which will be revealed at a press conference this thursday. 

We will also be launching our own Amateur MMA event called MIMMA. (Malaysian Invasion Mixed Martiall Arts) This is a tournament which will span about 6 months from Jan onwards and involve any or all gyms in Malaysia who will be able to put local Malaysian fighters forward. 

There will be a trials round in KL, followed by a ladder, quarters, semis and a main event Final which will feature 7 weight category Malaysian Invasion Champions, as well as 3 superfights between top Malaysian MMA fighters. There will also be prize money at each round. We'll have a press conference for this in early Jan to explain more but we're mega excited about it. 

We perceive that MMA is building in Malaysia and the community is growing larger as a result. We're really into building communities, as we have with music and QPR related events and MMA is the next one we plan to rock! This in turn will keep our brand young, edgy, on our toes and hopefully cooler than all the other prepaid telcos out there who rip off their customers like no tomorrow!

I asked Jason how long Tunetalk would be in involved in MMA in Malaysia and his answer was great news for the sport.
We are in everything for the long term. To grow MMA and to grow with MMA in Malaysia and possibly the region. 

How do you see Tunetalks image when it is involved in sponsoring MMA in Malaysia where the Malaysian TV censors often censor MMA shows. Is this a concern or just a fact of life in Malaysia?

If the sport falls flat on it's face in appeal or gets banned: these are the only possible end dates we can foresee. However, we did plenty of research, connected with the people in the sport to decide that's unlikely to happen. So we hope to be a big part of Malaysian MMA for the future. 

Unless of course, no one remotely connected with the sport buys our simcards or uses our services. Then, I may have trouble justifying our investment to the board. 

Is Tunetalk also considering sponsoring individual fighters and if so would they be Malaysian based foreigners or would you only consider Malaysian born fighters?

Yes we are and we are in discussions with some MMA professionals who are Malaysians. We are also talking to Eric Kelly as he is one hell of a fierce fighter. 

What brought Tunetalk to the thought that MMA in Malaysia would be a great marketing opportunity?

Aside from a friend of mine Dax, introducing me to some local key people in the sport, I'm also a fan of MMA and watch UFC. Even went to UFC 67 for Anderson Silva vs Lutter, watched Cro Cop, Rampage Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Roger Huerta (who I also watched in OneFC 4 endure a soccer kick which knocked him out against ZoroMoreira) 

I was so impressed with what OneFC was doing that we contacted Victor and got moving. We then started to hear about LegendFC and RoadFC and realized the sport is at a turning point in the region with more visibility in the media. 

Will Tunetalk also consider sponsoring smaller regional MMA events in Malaysia such as Johor's 'Ultimate Beatdown' or Muayfits (KL) "Malaysian Fighting Championship"?

We are open to looking at anything. We never close doors. We prefer to open them. 

Does Tunetalk have specific marketing expectations (targets/metrics) that it aims to achieve with this sponsorship?

Lots of subscribers!!

What do you see as the biggest weakness in present day Malaysian MMA?

Probably the fact that there is no one real unifying body for the sport. Also that perception is very weak. Not many people understand MMA in Malaysia. Ironic, given the fact that we are a melting pot of martial arts in the region. Not quite Thailand or Japan ok, but we should have more tournaments by now. 

And there's no dedicated media. But it's coming slowly as more money drifts into the sport. 

This is like watching the gladiators of old. All you need is a cage or a ring, a couple of good fighters and a great story. Huge opportunity is out there and I think that's our biggest strength. All the pieces are around us. 

Thank you very much Jason.

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So, there you have it a whole bucketful of positives for MMA in Malaysia.

Take this simple fact on board: By Tunetalk getting involved with MMA in Malaysia they will help to open the market to wider coverage and bigger better events. They will bring something desperately needed in Malaysia as their professional Marketing team knows how to build a brand and access the media.

Tunetalk are taking a brave and exciting step and hopefully that should enable the marketing people at other major Malaysian based companies to feel safe enough to get on board with their marketing dollars.

 After all regardless of what has up to this point been the case in Malaysia, MMA is the world fastest growing sport and anybody that witnessed all the happenings in Malaysian MMA in 2012 must be positive that things are changing and growing and that NOW is the time for Malaysian MMA to really build on all the recent ground work.

After all this year we can look forward to shows in KL by two of Asia's biggest MMA organisations ONE FC will have their second show and Legend FC will have their first. Both of these shows of course will have plenty of Internet coverage and gossip and more importantly International TV coverage.

The MIMMA which Jason mentions above sounds like it will make a big splash in Malaysia this year and the press conference for that is due later this month. It could totally grab the full spectrum of Malaysia's press and really make a big noise. Best of all it also sounds as though it will bring a real professional outfit into what up until now has been a very amateur field. 

Marketing in Malaysian MMA has been a disaster, frankly a joke and with Tunetalk on board I cannot see that being tolerated, this is big business and with it will come big business requirements, I look forward to seeing how others respond to seeing how marketing should be done.