5. Create Its Own Aesthetics & Identity
In one of my previous articles
counting down 9 Vital Ways To Improve RAW, I made mention of the need to refresh the RAW set design. SmackDown has see a number of changes made to its staging since 1999 and while most fans remember the big fist from the early 2000s, others may recall the oval screen that was the first set design. As good as those sets were, it's obvious that the current design is old hat and needs to be updated. The WWE should make it a priority to see that the SmackDown set looks different from RAW. WWE loves to brand their product so that it becomes clear to the viewer within seconds that they are watching a WWE production. That can be done in ways where the viewer still distinguishes SmackDown from RAW, or any other WWE show for that matter. How about a huge SMACKDOWN signage, similar to WrestleMania XVII or WrestleMania 31 (but obviously on a smaller scale)? Make the viewer feel they are watching something special, and if this show looks like another show, it isn't going to feel special at all. Aesthetics are important and production values are important - these are facts the WWE knows. What they seem to have forgotten, however, is the importance of individual elements exclusive to certain events and shows. Unique characteristics and appearances give fans something to remember, something to look forward to, and it establishes an identity for the shows that fans can form a connection to. Similar to the superstars and divas, if every show looks and feels the same, it is harder for the audience to have their favorites and form a connection to them. WWE seems to think that branding and individuality are mutually exclusive, but they are not.