The Schmo- the journalist’s personal brand

The Schmo, formally known as Dave Schmulenson, as he describes is ‘a much-needed breath of fresh air in sports journalism’. David has interviewed many large-scale sports personalities, including Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, Dana White and more. David formed ‘The Schmo’ as a new character in sports journalism, predominantly focusing on MMA. He is well known to get the athlete’s point across by injecting humour with self-deprecation, a unique reporting style that’s proven to be eye-catching. This blog will discover Schmo’s journalistic flair in more depth, initiatives he’s utilising to build his personal brand, and how he engages with his audience.

Branding

The Schmo has a vibrant personality already, from what we can see. With the bright orange tint in his shades, the classy looking suits alongside his sport & comedy approach to journalism. That’s enough to give off an eye-catching impression for sports fans watching a journalist for the first time. 

He’s incorporated these assets into his branding colour schemes which you can see through his social channels (Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube). According to Pickney Marketing, colour increases brand recognition by 80%; therefore, it’s essential to get it right to maintain consumer attention. 

Even on his YouTube channel, he’ll have his theme tune catchphrase (it’s the Schmo with the pro) alongside speaking in a self-deprecating but humorous tone. 

The way Schmo presents himself helps him gain a humanistic reaction from the athlete he’s interviewing. It’s common in large-scale sports such as football, American football, basketball etc. When athletes attend press conferences and media outlets, they don’t showcase their true selves due to how sensitive their profile is. Schmo’s journalism style has produced viral moments amongst the MMA community, including an interview with middleweight Darren Till five months ago, which adds more traction to the US journalist’s profile. 

These are three principles upcoming journalists should consider when building an audience to solidify your community, establish your name in the industry and stand out to other reporters. 

The Schmozone

The Schmo is married to fellow sports reporter Helen Yee. Together, they’ve created a podcast called ‘the Schmozone’. They both interview athletes, predominantly personalities across the MMA world and discuss topics such as training regimes, thoughts on other fighters alongside recent events involving them. 

Usually, when couples collaborate on content together, it’s effective to build an audience. For example, social media personality Mike Majlak and adult film star Lana Rhoades used to be a couple, and Mike often produced vlogs of them together. They ended being some of his highest viewed videos on YouTube. 

The Schmozone does have a twist. When interviewing his guests, the Schmo reverts to his regular self, David Schmulenson. 

Long-form podcasts for David are beneficial for many reasons. They show another side to David, and when your audience begins to expand, your followers develop an appetite to see your content evolve. It makes sense for David to host a long-form podcast to capture more content from his guests rather than catching them for a quick chat during a weigh-in, media day etc. 

Merchandise

Schmo also has a few pieces of merchandise available on his website. Face masks, bomber jackets and t-shirts are available for his supporters to purchase. 

There are hardly any affiliated links directing consumers to his online shop on his YouTube videos and social channels. That’s likely because it’s not his core product, and he wants to build more awareness and engagement through his journalism. 

I’m sure once he continues to expand his audience, he’ll consider expanding his merchandise, perhaps including collectable Schmo sunglasses, as it’s appearing as a traditional brand item for him. 

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So, what have we learnt about the Schmo’s personal brand? 

– Take your time identifying relevant colour schemes when developing your personal brand. 

– As your audience increases, think about ways you can portray your skills through different avenues. 

– Identify methods to encourage humanistic reactions from your interviewees.