WWE Takes Over the World
When MeetTheBoss.tv spoke exclusively to Andrew Whitaker, EVP International at WWE, little did the executive business channel realise just how “international” the brand was. Obviously, everyone knows the WWE brand, but it’s the figures behind the bright lights and the fireworks of the wrestling ring that prove to be nothing short of mind-blowing.
Currently WWE is available in 500 million homes across the planet, it is available to audiences in 145 countries and is translated into 40 languages; and, in its key markets, it reaches almost unthinkable viewing figures each and every week (15.3 million in the US).
Then there is the money: in 2009, WWE’s total net revenue was US$475.2 million, with a large portion of that made up of the massive US$127.1 million from WWE’s international market share (of that, US$36.5 million came from the UK – WWE’s largest market outside of the US).
WWE Strategy – How World Wrestling Entertainment Took Over The World – (Click the Image to view in full size)
Andrew Whitaker, however, is slightly more humble about the sums behind the soap opera. In his insightful, he explains, “In essence we are storytellers. We are producing a television program that introduces characters and strong storylines, and these in turn deliver an action soap opera to audiences across the globe.”
Of course, driving a brand to that kind of global success is clearly a challenge; though not one, it seems, that phased Whitaker. “In the beginning I think the challenge was one of education,” he explained. “We have always sought to go out and engage potential business associates and partners in a particular market with what exactly WWE is, what it is we are producing, how we’re producing it, and to the standards by which we live up to. We deliver that content to a transglobal basis in 145 countries. Basically we are telling the story of WWE and what it is we are doing.”
Last year alone, for instance, WWE hosted 342 live events: 268 of those were hosted in the US, with an average audience of 6500; internationally, 74 events were held, with audiences for these soaring to 8500. For 2010, the plan is for international events to grow and grow, as WWE continues its world domination of both the wresting and the entertainment industries.
“Obviously the ‘E’ is in our name,” notes Whitaker. “WWE is an Entertainment Company. It is a globally known brand. We see ourselves very much as an entertainment company that happens to also produce product in this genre and is the kind of the, let’s call it the flagship leader, of that particular genre of programming.”
What’s more Whitaker notes an increasing optimism about the growth of WWE globally: “There is not a territory that, permanently, we’ve ever been out of. There’ve always been instances where we’ve had challenges in a particular marketplace that needed to be overcome, but have overcome them. Not everything is a quick fix, but if it was, it would remove the need for the experts that we have in the group working internationally.”
Watch the full interview with Andrew on Body-slamming strategies at WWE
So, while at its heart WWE may well be an entertainment company, its international presence continues to flourish – and with body-slamming strategies to market such a powerful brand to an loyal and continually-growing fan base, it looks like that first ‘W’ in the company’s name might be set to become just a integral to that ‘entertainment-factor’.
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