Jim Cornette offered a unique perspective on the business strategies of the WWF during its booming period, drawing an unexpected parallel to the career of 80s pop sensation, Tiffany. This revelation provides a fascinating glimpse into the grassroots marketing tactics that fueled the WWF’s success.
The Tiffany Model: A Mall-Based Marketing Phenomenon
During a segment discussing listener emails, Cornette was prompted to “cut a promo” as Tiffany’s manager, defending her lack of songwriting credits. This led to a broader discussion about Tiffany’s early career, which Cornette summarized with his trademark sarcasm.
“Tiffany, who launched her career in the 80s as a teen pop sensation by having her management book her to do concerts in shopping malls for little yeah teeny tiny itty witty bitty girls,” Cornette recounted. He acknowledged the effectiveness of this strategy, saying, “smart idea and it worked, it was brilliant.”
Tiffany’s mall tours were a stroke of marketing genius, directly targeting her core audience of young girls in a familiar and accessible environment.
WWF’s Adaptation: Bringing Stars to the Fans
This seemingly offhand comment then turned into a revelation about WWF’s own business practices. “Yeah, that’s where I got the idea to start booking all the top WWF Talent at the sports card shows at the mall,” Cornette declared, revealing a surprising connection between teen pop marketing and wrestling promotion. “We were following the Tiffany model.”
Cornette’s statement highlights the importance of targeted marketing and audience engagement in the late 80s and early 90s. The WWF, under the guidance of figures like Cornette, recognized the value of connecting with fans at a grassroots level.
Grassroots Marketing: Connecting on a Personal Level
Just as Tiffany’s mall tours brought her directly to her young fans, the WWF’s appearances at sports card shows and similar events brought wrestling stars directly to their audience. This allowed fans to interact with their favorite wrestlers, get autographs, and purchase merchandise, creating a personal connection that fueled their fandom.
This direct interaction was a key factor in the WWF’s surge in popularity during this era.
Evolving Entertainment: Shared Marketing Strategies
The comparison also underscores the evolving nature of entertainment marketing. Both Tiffany’s pop career and the WWF’s wrestling boom capitalized on innovative strategies to reach their respective audiences. While Tiffany’s mall tours targeted young girls, the WWF’s mall appearances aimed to connect with a broader fan base, including families and collectors.
Cornette’s revelation provides a unique perspective on the business side of wrestling, showing that even seemingly disparate industries can share effective marketing strategies. The “Tiffany model” of direct fan engagement proved to be a successful blueprint for the WWF, contributing to its rise as a global entertainment phenomenon.
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