Guest Tim Cooke Report post Posted February 15, 2003 The WWE prides itself on a smart and productive marketing scheme to get its product and its wrestlers over with its fan base. While the WEE does an adequate job in presenting its product through the use of video packages, music, arena sets, and pyrotechnics, the overall presentation seems to remain the same throughout every event, even the largest event of the year in WrestleMania. After finishing watching K-1’s World Grand Prix Finals from the Tokyo Dome (12/7/02), someone should send the WEE a copy of this event. Before getting into an uproar about how this is a MMA promotion, put that in the back of your mind. A look at its presentation shows a company getting its fighters over, giving its fans an experience of a lifetime, and packing the Tokyo Dome full of 74.500 screaming fans. And all of this occurs before the bell for the first round rings. In all of its events, K-1 makes sure to showcase its fighters personalities. Entrance music, pre-match highlight videos, and star studded entrances give each fighter a personality. Bob Sapp, the latest phenom in the world of MMA, brings all 350 pounds of muscle to the ring via a firmiliar wrestling theme song of 2001: A Space Oddessey. The excellent production and remarkable lighting and sound makes for a spectacular entrance. Bob Sapp is established before he even hits the ring. Mark Hunt, a samoan from New Zealand, used Dr. Dre’s cut #5 from the Chronic 2001 album for his entrance music. The blond haired Hunt, who has a head as hard as they come in the world of MMA, has a unique charisma as he approaches the ring while bobbing his head to the rhythm of the music. I am doing a fairly poor job of really describing how well the pre match videos and entrances really get over the fighters personalities and characters, even though the announcing is in a language that I know no more than 20 words from. My point is to say that while the WWE does an adequate job of marketing its stars and getting over the product, a couple of looks at K-1’s promotional strategies and marketing schemes could really help the WWE get over some of the better wrestling guys, who don’t have the charisma of a Rock or a Steve Austin. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Dangerous A Report post Posted February 15, 2003 Amen to this. I have several K-1 shows on tape and they have been doing things WWE have either copied or couldn't touch. K-1 shows are so good I get into them even though there is Japanese commentary and I don't understand what they are saying. A lot of that is the fights, but what stops me from fast forwarding straight to each fight is the entrances and video packages they produce. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest the pinjockey Report post Posted February 15, 2003 They used to seem cutting edge with themes and entrences, etc. But they just got really lazy. The biggest example of this to me was Batista. They put him off TV, video clips of the genetic revolution gimmick. And then when he finally re-debuts he comes out to a quiet generic theme, no lighting set up, and a crappy titantron. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest NoSelfWorth Report post Posted February 15, 2003 Well you can't run the risk of someone getting over on Raw. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Hamburglar Report post Posted February 15, 2003 Well in all fairness you could have Sapp come out to N'Sync and he'd still look like a monster. The man has a presence. Anyway, I don't mind all the entrance/video stuff in the WWE, its to be expected. If I'm watching something like K-1 I just want to skip straight to the part where two men beat the shit out of each other. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
