It started with a joke Chris Josephs never expected to take off.Before Autopilot existed — long before the UFC sponsorship — there was Pelosi Tracker. It began as a meme account, something entertaining to follow rather than a serious tool. But the audience responded differently. They didn’t just laugh — they used it. They copied the trades. They watched for alerts. And they shared it widely. That unexpected traction revealed something important: there was real demand for a product built around politically driven trading data. So Josephs built Autopilot — a tool that made tracking and copying those trades seamless, with a light nod to the broader mission of pushing for a ban on politicians trading altogether. From day one, humor, irreverence, and internet-native creativity shaped how the brand communicated. So when it came time to run their biggest campaign to date, they didn’t shift into “serious professional brand mode.” They doubled down on the personality that built the audience in the first place. The UFC momentUFC 306 was the largest production the organization had ever done. Autopilot spent six figures to sponsor the event — but the sponsorship itself wasn’t the core of the plan. The creative execution was. Instead of blending in with polished fintech messaging, they brought the running joke behind the brand to life:
They didn’t aim for subtlety. They aimed for cultural impact — something people would film, share, and talk about. The founder summed it up perfectly: “…bold brands that make people laugh and smile, win. I’ll personally die on this hill.”
What the numbers showedNo embellishments needed — Josephs publicly shared three results:
For a consumer investing app, that’s a powerful combination: awareness at scale, a flood of new users, and a clearer understanding of the brand’s mission. But here’s the important nuance for SaaS teams: the campaign didn’t work because it happened at UFC, or any big event. It worked because Autopilot showed up with complete creative commitment. They avoided the generic, “safe” sponsorship approach and instead built something that spoke to their core messaging and ideal customers.
Why it workedThree elements made the campaign succeed:
For SaaS companies, this shift in thinking is the key. Sponsorships shouldn’t be about visibility — they should be about memorability.
How SaaS companies can replicate this (without UFC-grade budgets)You don’t need the UFC stage. You just need an audience, an environment where they gather, and an idea that fits your personality. Here are event categories that work at any budget while still offering big creative upside:
The pattern is the same: visibility is great, but you have to tell a story. Autopilot succeeded not because they sponsored something big, but because they showed up with originality, conviction, and a clear understanding of their audience’s humor and expectations. If your company were to show up boldly somewhere this year, what event comes to mind first? Hit reply — I’d love to hear what you’re considering. —Corey Check out this story’s source:
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Thursday, July 2, 2026
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