WWE Trades Ruthless Aggression For PG | Wrestling Timelines

October 13, 2013 | The Payday

John Cena Point
WWE

The initiative set out in May 2008 has worked, as evidenced by comments made by Michelle Wilson, WWE’s Chief Marketing Officer. Wilson points out that, in 2008, the year in which the move to PG and attendant strategy was launched, sponsorship revenue was $7.4 million. Now, in 2013, the number has almost tripled to $20 million annually. Wilson mentions that the Attitude Era “sold well” at the time, but there was a need to “get back to the multigenerational nature of our brand” in order to “bring on corporate partners” and “attract blue-chip partners”.

Nestlé, General Mills, Frito-Lay, and Kraft are cited as amongst the 20 blue-chip sponsors that WWE has attracted since 2008 and the last days of TV-14.

Many adults believe that John Cena is a hokey goofball who can’t sell and whose STF submission hold is a farce with no visible pressure applied. They hate him. Sponsors love him. Sponsors love him so much that Kraft puts his face on 72 million Capri Sun drinks cartons.

If you ever wondered why John Cena does not put over the likes of Dolph Ziggler, there’s your answer.

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Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!