Wrestle-Ad-Mania
John Powell - Cineplex Entertainment
Friday, March 28, 2008
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| A WrestleMania elevator ad. (Photo: John Powell, Cineplex Entertainment) |
Orlando, Florida - You cannot go anywhere in the Orlando area without being reminded that the WWE and WrestleMania is here in town and ready to rumble.
Known for its highway signs promoting everything from the playground of that famous rat to restaurants where the women are amply endowed, the city is no stranger to blatant promotion.
Besides the decorated buses, signs, posters, the WWE and their partners have brain stormed some effective advertising and marketing strategies too. For example, the wall of a huge downtown Orlando hotel has been emblazed with a promotion that has WrestleMania images projected onto it. A pretty impressive site to be sure when you see it from afar.
Hotel security cards and elevators are spreading the news as well. The most common theme seen around town is the promotion of the Big Show versus Floyd 'Money' Mayweather battle. It is everywhere. The ‘david versus goliath’ bout is the WWE’s marquee match for the mainstream fans so it is no wonder that Show’s and Mayweather’s faces are here, there and everyone around town.
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| WrestleMania is on everything and anything. (Photo: John Powell, Cineplex Entertainment) |
At 5’8 and 135 pounds Mayweather, the current WBC Welterweight Champion with a 39 and 0 record, is set to match his boxing skills against Show, who is the one true WWE behemoth standing at 7 feet tall and weighing 400 pounds. The fact that Mayweather is outweighed by approximately 250 pounds pretty much tells the tale of the tape.
Weather remains a concern with WrestleMania being held at the open-air Citrus Bowl. The current long range forecast has isolated thunderstorms dominating the area on Sunday. Fingers crossed that fans don’t need those umbrellas although the ring itself is constructed with a roof above it, just in case.
More famous faces at the WWE/media hotel with Michael ‘Freebird’ Hayes, Mark Henry and "Mean Gene" Okerlund making appearances. Okerlund was very outgoing and making friends in the downstairs restaurant while Mark Henry demolished the breakfast buffet. If you saw the true size of the massive colossus, you would understand why. He honestly needs the fuel.