Did you think working in media was all about free glasses of fizz and arancini balls? Think again. VMO has introduced the Ultimate Media Championship (UMC) to unite the industry over health and wellness. Though we expect some drinks will follow. Geoff Cochrane, VMO’s sales director – Australia and New Zealand, explains all here.
Burnout. We all know it, we all dread it. The media industry is a storm of late nights, tight deadlines and constant hustle. So, what if there was a way to combat all that stress with a ‘friendly–ish’ fitness competition? Enter the Ultimate Media Champion (UMC) – the best way to bring us together, challenge our limits and put well-being front and centre.
I missed the memo… what’s this UMC thing?
Don’t worry, we know you’re busy with your deadlines…so here’s a crash course. The Ultimate Media Champion is a health and fitness competition launched by VMO and Fitness & Lifestyle Group, designed to unite the media industry through health and wellness.
Kicking off this week, we’re talking about a mix of physical challenges and mental tests to find the top media champs in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
But it’s not just about who can bench press the most. It’s about creating a supportive and resilient community in an industry that never stops!
Cool, love it… but what’s the bigger picture here?
We don’t know about you, but each year feels like it’s becoming increasingly stressful. It’s important we all find balance and a way to bring health and fitness into our busy schedules.
What better way to find that balance than through a fitness challenge, combining the benefits of physical health, with some fierce competition?
But it isn’t just about who can bench press the most! We’ve mixed in mental challenges with the physical ones because staying sharp upstairs is just as important as your physical fitness. And look, a bonus will be the strength you’ll build, BUT at its core, UMC is about making a lasting impact and fostering a healthy and happy adland.
Want another reason to take part in UMC? It perfectly aligns with today’s focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics. Companies are looking for ways to support employee well-being and the UMC competition is a brilliant platform to showcase that commitment.
What does VMO even know about fitness?
We’re leaders in the outdoor media health and fitness space…you’ll find our team members running boot camps, reformer Pilates classes or run clubs on a weekly basis! Hence, because of this, we felt committed to bringing this exciting challenge to our media partners.
To level this up even further, we’ve teamed up with the leaders in health and fitness, Fitness First and Goodlife gyms. These guys absolutely know their stuff, and they’re bringing it all to the table with elite training facilities and their bespoke six-week challenge classes.
So, over six weeks, our competitors will train, sweat, and prep for the grand finale through these classes. But this isn’t just bulking time – it’s a chance to come together, swap stories, and build each other up!
The six-week challenge program will put the teams through their paces, improving cardiovascular health, building strength, form and agility as well as camaraderie among the teams. All fundamentals for building a healthy body and lifestyle and when you think you won’t be motivated, remember sometimes the biggest motivation comes when we train together.
And who doesn’t love some fierce competition?
We don’t need to remind you that this is a highly competitive industry, and we know the sparks will fly.
Think agency against agency, ex-colleague versus ex-colleague, and senior leadership taking on junior team members. It’s all about drumming up that fierce, competitive spirit and pushing each other to be the best we can be.
But… it’s also about the prizes. Over $50,000 worth of prizes up for grabs plus the coveted UMC title winner’s belt. Oh, and bragging rights for being the Ultimate Media Champion.
Spread the word … the heat is ON!
Even if you’re not competing, you can still be part of this challenge by cheering on your colleagues, spreading the word, and supporting the importance of health and wellness in our industry.
The Ultimate Media Champion isn’t just a competition – it’s a movement towards a healthier, happier media and advertising industry. Plus… there’s always next year to compete. And we can confirm it’s going to be even bigger and better in 2025!
So, are you ready to sweat, laugh, cry, and cheer each other on? Because when we take care of our health, we can tackle anything the media world throws at us.
Here’s to the Ultimate Media Champion – may the best (and healthiest) adlanders win!
