2005 News Releases
USA Welcomes WWE with Audience-Building Strategy
Network Marketing Initiative Blankets U.S. with Intense Multimedia Campaign
New York, NY Sept. 22, 2005 - USA Network continues its recent brand-building initiative "Characters Welcome" with its newest partner World Wrestling Entertainment® (WWE). As part of this initiative, USA and WWE have teamed up on an intense, coordinated and integrated multimedia marketing campaign with nationwide impact. USA welcomes the characters of the WWE by taking bold steps in an effort to drive new viewers to the franchise, building upon one of the most dedicated fan bases in all of television. WWE's Monday Night RAW debuts on USA Network on October 3 at 7:55 p.m. ET.
USA Network plans to unleash a flurry of promotional activity around the WWE's return to USA that includes leveraging all of its NBC Universal assets:
· A live-action, scripted campaign in which RAW Superstars pay tribute to a typical family's moving day starring WWE Chairman Vince McMahon(tm), along with Superstars Triple H®, John Cena®, Torrie Wilson®, Carlito®, Kurt Angle® and Rowdy Roddy Piper(tm) . Spots will be featured on USA, across all NBCU networks and other male-targeted cable channels. To view the spots go to usanetwork.com.
· A stylized print campaign featuring Superstars "away from the ring" shot by famed- photographer Martin Schoeller, whose work has graced the covers of Rolling Stone Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, as well as other high-profile national magazines.
· Over 5,450 movie screens across the country will air 30-second trailers.
· Universal Studio's City Walk in Orlando and Hollywood will host viewing parties for the October 3rd launch.
· NBC Experience Store will display signage, sell WWE memorabilia and host an autograph session with WWE Champion John Cena.
· The "RAW Ringside Sweepstakes" offers winners roundtrip airfare, three nights hotel accommodations and a "Meet and Greet" with WWE Superstars and Divas at the 2006 Royal Rumble.
· Pizza lovers will receive nearly 500,000 branded pizza boxes from selected pizzerias across the country depicting some of the WWE's most famous Superstars.
· Traditional radio, television and print ads will be in play including an aggressive online presence on Yahoo!, gaming, sports and entertainment sites, as well as usanetwork.com.
· Street Teams will canvass the urban landscape by distributing more than 500,000 WWE trading cards with Superstar tattoos.
The Monday Night RAW season debut will kick off an all-new fall season of thrilling storylines, shocking betrayals and larger-than-life characters battling for championship glory on October 3, 2005, at 7:55 p.m. (ET). The television event marks the return of Monday Night RAW in dramatic fashion as WWE's most illustrious legends and current Superstars slated to appear include "Stone Cold" Steve Austin(tm), Hulk Hogan(tm), Mick Foley(tm), Triple H, Ric Flair®, Shawn Michaels(tm), Kurt Angle, Mr. McMahon as well as WWE Champion John Cena, in his USA Network debut.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn. WWE has offices in Los Angeles, Toronto and London, and a sales office located in New York City. Information on the company can be found at wwe.com <http://wwe.com/> and corporate.wwe.com <http://corporate.wwe.com/>.
USA Network is cable television's leading provider of original series and feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 88 million U.S. homes. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com <http://www.usanetwork.com/>.
USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable, a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.
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Media Contacts:
Tom Caraccioli, USA Network, 212-664-4288
Nathan Nazario, USA Network, 407-346-9665
Trademarks: The names of all World Wrestling Entertainment televised and live programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans and wrestling moves and all World Wrestling Entertainment logos are trademarks which are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.