Six years ago YouTube didn’t exist. Today, it is being embraced by everyone from prepubescent Lady Gaga fans to Fortune 500 companies. The latest forward-thinking company to use YouTube to gain market share is the WWE. That’s right, World Wrestling Entertainment.
Last month, they stepped up their online presence with full-length YouTube episodes of Friday Night Smackdown along with clips from Monday Night Raw . Already they have received over 100,000,000 views. More than 100,000 enthusiasts have subscribed to date. And, another fun fact which is totally unrelated, WWE has had 23 books reach the New York Times Bestseller list. (Apparently, bulked-up, steroid-enhanced masked men busting chairs over each other’s heads makes for great reading. Who knew?)
To many marketers such a move may seem foolhardy. Why would a company that has made millions with Pay-Per-View content, now peddle its wares online for free? Elementary, my dear Watson. They know what every street pusher has always known. When your product is clearly addictive, free samples can only improve your market share.
