SyFy Network issued the following press release today …
SYFY GETS READY FOR SMACKDOWN(R): MULTI-PRONGED, NATIONWIDE CONSUMER MARKETING CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF 52 WEEK A YEAR EVENT SERIES
WWE(R) FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN MOVES TO SYFY ON FRIDAY OCTOBER, 1st AT 8 PM
NEW YORK – September 29, 2010 – To support the move of WWE Friday Night SmackDown – the ultimate in imagination-based sports entertainment – to Syfy beginning Friday, October 1st at 8 PM (ET/PT) with a live broadcast from Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Syfy has launched an ambitious, multi-pronged national marketing campaign reaching consumers via social networking sites, airlines, in-person appearances, cutting edge creative spots, WWE live events, WWE DVD releases and on digital platforms such as YouTube, video games, wireless and Twitter.
Joining Syfy’s diverse programming mix of popular scripted and non-scripted series along with its bellwether Saturday Original Movies, Friday Night SmackDown features a star-studded cast of WWE Superstars and Divas including Undertaker(R), Rey Mysterio(R), Big Show(R), Kane(R), Kofi Kingston(R), CM Punk(R), Jack Swagger(TM), “Dashing” Cody Rhodes(R), Michelle McCool(R), Kelly Kelly(R) and Layla(R). The debut episode of Friday Night SmackDown will be presented by Five-Hour Energy. The program, which premiered more than 10 years ago, is the most watched, regularly scheduled TV program on Friday nights among Males 55 and under.
Said Blake Callaway, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Brand and Strategic, Syfy: “The move of SmackDown to Syfy represents the partnership of two powerful and successful brandsthat are united by their embrace of imagination. Syfy and the WWE Superstars are a great combination. These are superheroes come to life. We’re telling the WWE Universe(R) that SmackDown is bigger, better and more exciting than ever!”
Said Michael Engleman, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Global Brand Strategy and Creative, Syfy: “WWE and Smackdown bring a style high-octane entertainment to Syfy that makes it a dynamic fit for the brand. Thanks to our new partnership, every Friday night the Superstars of SmackDown will bring imagination and action to life in ways we’ve never seen before.”
The marketing campaign kicked off on July 6 with the premiere of the groundbreaking House of Imagination 2 brand film, which featured WWE Superstars Jack Swagger, Cody Rhodes, Kofi Kingston, and Rey Mysterio. WWE Superstars Kane and Jack Swagger attended Syfy’s Comic-Con party in San Diego. Syfy talent such as Warehouse 13 star Eddie McClintock were incorporated at SummerSlam(R) in Los Angeles, along with a Syfy branded WWE Superstar entrance photo opportunity at SummerSlam Axxess.
In cross-promotions on Syfy programming, Cody Rhodes guest starred on the August 10 episode of Warehouse 13 while WCG Ultimate Gamer will integrate the “SmackDown vs. Raw(R)” video game on the September 23 show.
Promotions for SmackDown moving to Syfy at WWE live events began with public address announcements, postcards and videos, followed by WWE Shop mailings; on-air promotions on Monday Night Raw; tune-in on WWE DVD releases of Money in the Bank(TM), SummerSlam 2010 and Breaking The Code: Behind The Walls of Chris Jericho(R), as well as spots during MyNetworkTV presentations of Friday Night SmackDown.
Syfy.com will showcase a clip of the week featuring SmackDown match highlights; trivia contests; photo galleries; promo videos and Twitter feeds from Superstars and Divas.
Syfy will promote the series with videos on select Virgin America flights, and NBC Everywhere content distribution on Taxi TV and gas pumps. In addition, Syfy is reaching out to SmackDown’s strong Hispanic and African-American audience through targeted outdoor advertising in select markets and promotions with sister networks Telemundo and mun2.
Digital media outlets including YouTube, Facebook, IGN and Yahoo! Sports will all be presenting SmackDown videos.
About Syfy
Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 96 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)
About WWE, Inc.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly, PG content across all of its platforms including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. can be found at corporate.wwe.com.
