There’s sports, there’s entertainment, and then there’s sports entertainment. And you’ll find no brand better at combining those two concepts than World Wrestling Entertainment, or the WWE. Translated into over thirty languages and broadcast in over 150 countries, WWE is a global sports entertainment phenomenon.
From its inception, the WWE has used marketing tactics to bring in viewership and build a loyal empire of fans and watchers. That strategy is still at work even today and possibly more successful than ever.
What did the McMahons do to win themselves the sports entertainment Championship Belt, and what lessons can we take from them?
How Did Marketing Help the WWE Grow?
Vince McMahon is more than just the CEO, chairman, and two-time WWE world champion. He is a marketing magician who turned wrestling into a high-octane battle royale with larger-than-life characters and twists and turns that had fans scrabbling for more.
The key to it all: storytelling.
What McMahon and his team did is craft storylines and build characters. Wrestlers would have a plot, fans, and viewership before that would generate buzz BEFORE they even debuted in the ring.
But what WWE employs that other sports don’t is harness the power of delayed gratification. Storylines were stretched out over several weeks of content. Rivalries were forged, team-ups were built, plots were built, all of them reaching a climax and satisfying ending during huge, pay-per-view events.
If you’ve followed this story all season long, of course you’re going to see it through, even if it is behind a paywall.
WWE’s success started with marketing, and it persisted because of his wrestlers following his example.
How Did Marketing Build the Top WWE Wrestlers?
The top WWE wrestlers and in fact, every WWE wrestler succeeds and builds a following due to an important marketing strategy: branding.
Think of any of the biggest wrestling names. What do you know about them?
John Cena: Clad in jorts and a t-shirt, armed with a military storyline and his undeniably recognizable theme song.
The Rock: Before his movie career, we knew him from “Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?” and his famous eyebrow tilt.
Hulk Hogan: Recognizable by his bleached-blonde facial hair, sunglasses, and bandana.
The Ultimate Warrior: His unforgettable costume, makeup, and somewhat feral attitude.
The Undertaker: His quiet demeanor and dark outfits.
Macho Man: “Oh, yeah, brother!” “Cream of the crop!”
And on and on.
These huge, colorful, loud characters brought in viewership by grabbing attention in small, easy-to-digest pieces.
They aren’t just their characters in the ring, they’re in character backstage, as they watch down the ramp to the stage, when they’re on the mic. Some wrestlers aren’t seen in public without their persona.
And, perhaps most importantly to the modern health of the WWE, they are in character on social media.
How Has the WWE Marketing Strategy Evolved to Today?
Turns out, building the WWE into an empire is a family affair, because nowadays, Vince McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie McMahon Levesque, is expertly marketing the WWE name as its Chief Brand Officer.
While her father built the past of the WWE, Stephanie firmly planted its foot in the future by taking advantage of the marketing monolith that social media has become, starting with the launching of WWE’s Digital Media Department in 1998.
