Wrestlemania 24: the PR plan

PR plan
Goal: Make the public aware of annual event
Objective: Increase awareness to non-wrestling fans by X percent in two months to attract attention to Wrestlemania.
Strategy: Use various mediums and cross-promotions to get the mainstream's attention.
Tactics: TV appearances, press conferences, advertisements, celebrity endorsement

The World Wrestling Entertainment has a pay-per-view event every month, but no event compares to Wrestlemania, which is deemed “The granddaddy of them all.” Once a year the WWE pulls out all of the stops, and they spare no expense on this particular pay-per-view. This year it will be in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl on March 30, and it is also the first outdoor Wrestlemania. This means a huge undertaking for public relations practitioners.

They have dozens of things planned to promote the event. Although wrestling fans know that Wrestlemania is a big deal, the practitioners work hard to promote it. Techniques include press conferences, advertising, and interviews.

The press conferences were over the course of two months. The first press conference was in Los Angeles with the major wrestling stars, and another will take place in New York City a few days before the pay-per-view.

For wrestling fans who tune into Monday Night RAW ever week, thy were informed of Wrestlemania’s upcoming arrival two months in advance. With a 30 second spot during the commercial break, an action-packed clip show of the wrestlers set to a high tempo rock song captures the viewers attention while a screencap at the end announces “60 Days Away.” In a reminding fashion, the same clip show would air every week, but the end would say “45 Days Away” or “2 Weeks Away” as time progressed.



Practicioners also promoted the event during non-wrestling programming. On The Travel Channel, a pay-per-view commercial was aired at 1: 30 in the afternoon during Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” with the WWE logo in the corner, encouraging its viewers to “Order Now!”

Pay-per-view commercial

The one aspect that sets this colossal pay-per-view from others is its use of celebrities. This year, John Legend will open the event by singing “America, the Beautiful.” Reality TV personality, Kim Kardashian, will play hostess to the event. In accordance with the WWE’s affiliation with the Make-A-Wish-Foundation, Disney star Raven-Symone will host fifty kids from fifty states to go to Wrestlemania. The professional boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. will settle a month-long feud that began at the previous pay-per-view, where Mayweather was actually in the audience. A publicity stunt in itself, Mayweather was provoked by a returning professional wrestler, The Big Show. Mayweather punched the wrestler after he was mocked, and it prompted the match at Wrestlemania.

Practicioners have also arranged many television appearances into the mainstream in order to promote the event. Last week The Big Show appeared on the Late Night Show with Conan O’Brien. It was a five minute interview, but millions of people were exposed. They may have also been impressed or at least their interest was raised when they saw that The Big Show was actually a friendly guy who liked to joke and not a gruff wrestler guy. In addition, The Big Show and Floyd Mayweather, and other wrestlers will make appearances on various channels. On March 25, Mayweather will appear on The Best Damn Sports Show Period on the Fox Sports Network, and the next morning he and The Big Show will appear on The Today Show, which is a major opportunity, which millions and millions of people watch. Then, both will promote their fight on Wrestlemania on ten more separate appearances before the big event.

Mayweather vs. Big Show