It Gave Smackdown An Identity
Yes I am aware that the World Heavyweight Championship debuted on Raw rather than Smackdown, but if there is one show that has got more out of it, it would be Smackdown. For Smackdown, which had often been seen as the 'B Show' (and is now) because it's not as old as Raw, live or seen by some as a vital show to watch, the introduction of a second title allowed Smackdwon to put a greater emphasis on its storylines rather than looking over the shoulder to see what Raw was doing. Furthermore, it led to the idea of true 'brand separation', with wrestlers becoming synonymous with the Smackdown brand rather than merely just the WWE. With the absence of any real competition, the World Heavyweight Championship helped allow for some new competition to be artificially created.