World Wrestling

Entertainment

Brand analysis: Development, Performance, Strategy

Course: EIBCStudent number: 0625378Student name: Urbanas, RegimantasModule: Product and Brand Management

History of WWE

1915 – first boxing event by Roderick James McMahon 1953 – foundation of Capitol Wrestling Corporation 1963 – creation of WWWF (renamed to WWF in 1979)

1982 - Vincent McMahon becomes leader of WWF 1985 – date of the first WrestleMania 2002 – WWF is forced to change name to WWE 2006 – introduction of renewed ECW (3rd show of WWE)

WWE brand related products

WWE brand related products

Live wrestling events and TV broadcasting Pay-per-view events Video games Magazines and books Trade of VHS/DVD/Blu-ray video materials Music CD publishing WWE Internet media and mobile telephone content WWE brand merchandising Retail shops WWE films

WWE brand personality

Tough, sexy and cool middle-age guy Young, energetic and experienced He is patriotic American Extrovert and enjoys attention Likes doing sports Real macho man Some worships him, others – hate him Always hungry for money and knows

how to get it

WWE brand attributes, benefits and values

Emotions Community (sense of belonging) Entertainment and excitement Patriotism Small indulgences Self respect Fantasy adventure

Competitiveness of WWE brand

Who are the competitors for WWE?

Who are the competitors for WWE films?

• TNA wrestling;• Boxing federations, bushido associations and other fighting sports; • NBA, NHL, MLB and other professionalsport organizations in USA • Music bands and show industry

• Major Hollywood movie studios like 20th Century Fox, Paramount pictures, Columbia pictures, United Artists, Warner Bros studios, Miramax films and others

WWE links with popular culture

Wrestling is strongly connected with fashion, music, television and other pop culture trends.

• 50s, 60s – Soviet and Middle east culture wrestlers • 70s – lots of Comics heroes and Mexican wrestlers

• 80s – family era in wrestling. Lots of wrestlers portrayed as animals, Native Americans, cowboys, clowns, zombies, pop singers

• From 1996 – tough era. Wrestlers are much darker, vicious, and violent. Some of them are associated with underground

cultures. Most of the wrestlers are “tough”, “cool”

WWE and film industry Participation of brightest action movie superstars like

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, Mr. T, Sylvester Stallone, Jackie Chan, boxer Mike Tyson and many others in WWE shows was their first link with movie industry

More than 50 wrestlers through history has acted at least in a one movie. Couple of them – Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Roddy Piper managed to act in more 7 or more.

WWE films made 3 sole production movies so far. “The Marine” , “See no Evil” and the “The Condemned ”

Key challenges for WWE brand

Competition of TNA Young audience Adaptation of WWE strategy for non-American

markets Increasing amounts of Illegal downloads of

WWE intellectual production

Recommendations for the future

WWE brand strategy Appointing national of regional directors for WWE

brand strategy in particular market “WWE films” self identification and change of activities Further development of creative storyline Expansion to developing countries Active usage of Web 2.0 possibilities like social

networking, BLOGs and others

Thank YOU for your attention!