Values-Heroes-Stories Content Engine
Pair authentic values and human stakes with platform-native emotion
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 99%
The Values-Heroes-Stories Content Engine begins with a non-negotiable identity, then builds reach through real people and emotional stakes. ONE's formula is values, heroes, and stories: martial-arts values define the brand; elite athletes become heroes; their poverty, tragedy, sacrifice, personality, and competitive stakes create stories that non-fans can understand. Each piece is designed to evoke a strong emotion such as laughter, sadness, inspiration, awe, or surprise. The team then adapts the format to each platform's algorithm and mobile behavior, shares strong highlights generously, measures response, and experiments continuously. The algorithm controls packaging, not meaning. Authentic personalities and real adversity remain intact rather than being replaced by fake feuds or cheapened violence.
Origin
Chatri says the formula emerged while ONE was near failure and its early Facebook videos began growing fast enough to attract broadcasters, investors, and sponsors.
Core principles
- 01Core fans supply credibility but human stories expand the audience
- 02Strong emotion earns attention and sharing
- 03Platform algorithms shape format without defining the brand
- 04Authenticity compounds while manufactured conflict cheapens the property
- 05Generous highlights can grow demand for the complete experience
How to run it
- 1
Fix the identity
State the values and category truth the content must preserve. Use them as the boundary for every creative choice.
Pro tip Define what would make a high-performing post unacceptable.
Watch out Blindly following an algorithm produces interchangeable junk.
- 2
Choose the real hero
Feature a person whose skill, personality, or conduct embodies the brand. Do not manufacture a role for them.
Pro tip Look beyond performance for a distinctive human trait.
Watch out Do not force people into artificial hero or villain scripts.
- 3
Find the human stakes
Surface the real adversity, sacrifice, dream, or consequence that makes the moment meaningful beyond existing fans.
Pro tip Explain why the person is here and what the moment changes.
Watch out Do not exploit suffering or invent stakes.
- 4
Design for emotion
Choose the strong emotion the piece should create and select footage and context that earn it authentically.
Pro tip Use laughter, sadness, inspiration, awe, or surprise as a concrete creative brief.
Watch out Shock without brand meaning weakens trust.
- 5
Adapt to the platform
Package the same authentic core for the viewing behavior and algorithm of each channel. Make the essential action legible on a mobile screen.
Pro tip Test variations instead of relying only on theory.
Watch out Do not let format changes distort the underlying story.
- 6
Share and learn generously
Publish the strongest moments rather than withholding every highlight, then use audience behavior to improve the next iteration.
Pro tip Treat a shared highlight as an invitation to the full experience.
In the wild
ONE presents Stamp as an elite fighter while also showing her real dances, humor, and larger-than-life personality. Her background and stakes broaden the story, while spectacular fight footage preserves credibility with combat-sports fans.
→ One authentic athlete can generate content that appeals both to specialists and to a mainstream mobile audience.
When early ONE videos rose tenfold in three months, the company showed country-level hockey-stick charts to broadcasters. Chatri then committed the remaining cash to becoming exceptional at viral video while preserving martial-arts values and stories.
→ Digital attention became evidence that helped unlock distribution, investment, sponsors, and athletes.
Common mistakes
Serving only the core fan
Technical highlights can satisfy existing fans while leaving the much larger audience without a human reason to care.
Letting the algorithm define the brand
Chasing every engagement signal can produce junk or cheap drama that contradicts the identity meant to compound.
Withholding the best moments
Being stingy with highlights can sacrifice discovery even when the full event remains more valuable than any individual clip.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for brands with visually strong material, real people, meaningful stakes, and enough access to tell authentic stories consistently.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when the brand lacks genuine stories or intends to manufacture conflict, personalities, or adversity for engagement.
From the transcript
“Those are the three pillars of of what we call our formula of success at ONE Championship, values, heroes, and stories.”
“We always say we want to evoke emotion, strong emotion. Laughter, sadness, inspiration, awe.”
“Everything we do is about authenticity. There's no manufacturing.”
From the episode
#814: Chatri Sityodtong, CEO of ONE Championship — From Dirt Poor to Top-10 Sports-Media Franchise, The $100M Breakfast, Dominating Social Media (30B+ Views/Year), Key Strategic Decisions, and The Moneyball of Fight Matchmaking
Chatri Sityodtong