How much would you spend?

As I watch Vince McMahon give away $1,000,000 of his own money tonight to WWE Raw viewers, I find myself wondering why.

After the announcement that the password to claim the prize was “WWE Universe”, I started to think that this was really an elaborate marketing scheme to build awareness for a new WWE brand. Rather than spend the time, effort and money to spread the word of WWE Universe in the print, digital and video world of WWE, why not ingrain that slogan/tagline into viewers minds instantly over two hours. Not only will viewers hear “WWE Universe” dozens of times during the show, they also must store it in cognitive memory, just in case Vince McMahon were to call them and ask for it.

The cost of mass marketing to drill “WWE Universe” into fans minds over time would far exceed the $1,000,000 Vince has put up this evening. So to large companies out there, looking to launch a new brand, or division, or product… I ask you, “What would you spend to have all of your customers be able to recall your new product by name just hours after, or even before it’s release?”

Not a bad spend if you ask me.

At this point, I don’t know what WWE Universe is, or what it will be. I don’t even know if it will even exist after tonight, as this is all just my theory.