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KFC using Colonel in SummerSlam activation

A live-action commercial stunt by KFC is among the sponsor activation highlights planned around WWE’s SummerSlam, set for Sunday at Barclays Center.

WWE performers Dolph Ziggler and The Miz will be the focal point of the stunt, which will break out a new feature in KFC’s line of Colonel Sanders ads. Yum Brands’ KFC has worked with the WWE to produce the spot, which will run on WWE Network broadcasts throughout the year.

“One of the things we’ve been trying to do with the Colonel campaign is, How do we bring him to unexpected places?” said Kevin Hochman, KFC’s U.S. chief marketing officer. “You would never expect the Colonel to wrestle.”

The stunt will be recorded and used by KFC across its marketing channels and at other live events, Hochman said. The paid integration will be matched by other KFC advertising around the event.

KFC and Cricket Wireless are co-sponsors of SummerSlam, which is the second-largest event staged by WWE each year, behind only Wrestlemania. The event begins at 7 p.m. ET on WWE Network.

John Brody, WWE executive vice president of global sales and partnerships, said the majority of sponsor activation around SummerSlam will take place on social and digital platforms, as opposed to in-venue and events leading up to Sunday’s event.

“It’s not a place where it’s going to be a static environment, where signage is jumping out at you. It’s going to be on your devices,” Brody said. “That’s the environment where our fans live, and that’s the environment where our partners are activating aggressively.”

Cricket, as part of its co-presenting sponsorship, will activate in cross-channel television spots, inside and outside arena signage, and with digital and social platforms including a Snapchat filter.

Tiffany Baehman, Cricket Wireless vice president and chief marketing officer, said the company also will have 500 branded ringside chairs that fans will be able to take home with them. WWE performers have made Cricket in-store appearances, and that will continue this week leading up to SummerSlam. Cricket also held a sweepstakes in which the winner and a guest won a trip to SummerSlam.

“We want to create visibility for our brand,” Baehman said. “We were looking for a partner with reach, and someone who would appeal to a broad segment.”

Cricket’s multiyear partnership with WWE kicked off at the start of the year, and the company has produced several spots in conjunction with WWE. The company counts WWE’s John Cena as its brand ambassador, and this summer he starred in a popular video in which he surprised unsuspecting fans at local Cricket stores.

Also activating around SummerSlam are Hershey’s Jolly Rancher, Mountain Dew, 2K, Tapout and DiGiorno, which will be presenting sponsor of the SummerSlam Snapchat live story and will have a 30-second promotion in the event’s kickoff show. Fans can share live stories from SummerSlam on Snapchat using a DiGiorno Snapchat filter.

Tapout spots will air during the broadcast and inside Barclays Center. In addition, Tapout will hold a workout in New York City this week with six female performers, as well as a JCPenney in-store appearance by Ziggler and female performer Charlotte.

Mountain Dew Kickstart will be presenting sponsor of the SummerSlam preview show on WWE Network, while 2K will have a 30-second spot during the broadcast to go along with its “WWE 2K17” SummerSlam Kickoff event.

John Bauernfeind writes for sister publication SportsBusiness Daily.

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