Professional wrestling company World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) will use mobile initiatives next month to bolster a direct mail piece promoting its “SummerSlam” event. The campaign also includes a sweepstakes component.
SummerSlam is a live professional wrestling pay-per-view event scheduled for August 15 in Los Angeles. The WWE is promoting the event using interactive barcode technology created by Jagtag, a mobile marketing firm.
Consumers can capture an image of a two-dimensional barcode on the direct mail piece with their mobile phone, then forward it via e-mail, short code or Twitter. After doing so, consumers will receive a video montage of WWE talent, giving them a taste of what they might see during the televised event.
Stamford, CT-based WWE will distribute the direct mail piece to 700,000 consumers beginning August 4. The Jagtag element will be operational until the event.
Eddie Hill, SVP of marketing at the WWE, said the company’s goal in using the mobile component is to generate awareness of SummerSlam, and drive ticket, pay-per-view purchases and revenue. The WWE is targeting past “WrestleMania” and SummerSlam event purchasers, as well as consumers who have bought other pay-per- view events, movies on demand and WWE-related films. The company is also targeting fans interested in similar events, such as boxing, ultimate fighting and mixed martial arts.
“Direct mail is one of our best targeted tactics, and the Jagtag overlay makes the piece that much more enticing and interactive.
We know that when our affiliates use this piece, they are able to cull a distribution list of customers who have the highest propensity to buy SummerSlam — those who have purchased WrestleMania or other pay-per-views, or those who buy like-products,” said Hill. “We know these direct mail recipients have an interest in our product, and desire the exclusive content we are providing via the Jagtag.”
The WWE will automatically enter consumers who view the video clip into a sweepstakes to win the SummerSlam Complete Anthology on DVD.
The campaign’s text messaging element also allows the WWE to remind consumers that the event is happening. Fans who opt in will receive a text reminder to purchase tickets, or order SummerSlam via pay-per-view the day before the event. Hill added that the company’s biggest challenge is moving fans from their phones to their cable and satellite service to order the event.
“The perfect marriage for us is a company that has a physical asset to place the tag and that already has their own digital content,” said Ed Jordan, CEO of Jagtag.
“So, obviously, as they are in the entertainment business, focused on television, they have a huge amount of digital assets that we can return back.”
Julie Ask, VP and principal analyst at Forrester Research, said that interactive barcodes are an effective tool for reaching a targeted audience, but not a mass one. “Jagtags are not a mass market type of thing. It’s very niche, but it will grow.”
