Lion Heart Ultra: Building a Loyal Community for a Sports Brand
Winning over true fans. Building a community. Writing Bulgarian sports history.
The Lion Heart Ultra Cross Triathlon is an energy-draining long-distance race. It's 3 km of swimming in open sea waters, overcoming various terrains in 116 km of mountain biking, and an energy-sapping, picturesque 21 km trail run in the forests of Strandzha mountain. A challenge that excites the adventurous, sounds impossible to the masses, and sets out to unlock the unlimited human potential.
In 2016, after its first edition, we started collaborating closely.
Our approach is holistic and applied to everything - event branding, sports apparel, social media, and much more.
Challenge
Establish Lion Heart as a high energy race that is a "must" in an athlete’s race
calendar, increase participation numbers, and win over true fans.
Outcome
Five years later, the race is amongst the most recognisable in Bulgaria and has had continuous growth in participation numbers. In 2020, Lion Heart registered 10 times more athletes compared to the first edition.
“Those who dared brave the full distance of “Lion Heart” - from a total of 140 km of swimming, biking and running, are called “ultra” athletes. These men and women are the elite that stands out from the others by their limited edition T-shirts”
Communicating the brand
Lion Heart Ultra is the perfect challenge to test an athletes endurance and will. It believes in "choosing your suffering" as the only way to grow and be better. This is reflected in the format of the race (unconventional for a triathlon), the tone of voice, and the race visuals.
Event Branding
The day of the race is the most important day of the year - full of endorphins, sweat and smiles, that create a lasting memory in the minds of all involved. There is no better time to connect with a brand. We made Lion Heart visible on Base camp and 140 km of track by utilizing every branding opportunity.
Sportswear
The Lion Heart Ultra is the ultimate challenge and requires sheer power of will and endurance. The people that dare face it deserve a special kind of recognition.
And what sets us immediately apart?
Our clothes.
This is why we distinguished the athletes that compete with a unique T-shirt. This decision turned the T-shirt into the most powerful branding material of the race, and the athletes into its ambassadors. It is kept as a proof of personal achievement, memorabilia and is cherished for the rest of the year - on training and race days alike.
“For me, Cosmonavt is a rare type of design studio. It’s a relief to work with fresh, open-minded people who have a rich and vivid background and work in such a timely, professional manner. What we do I can hardly call work, for the process is a lovely experience that produces utmost results. What you get in the end is not just great design. You get a product with a soul if you trust them and leave them to it."
-Filip Shavov, Founder and Race Coordinator
Lion Heart Ultra Cross Triathlon
In its 5 year history the Lion Heart Ultra has become a synonym for triathlon in Bulgaria, and a symbol of a high quality sports event. It has revived the sport of triathlon in the country, and we expect that it will continue to surprise and delight its community.
