WWE's Chief Creative Officer positions the company as a story-first entertainment brand, not a sports league. Creative decisions are driven by long-term character arcs and narrative potential, similar to Marvel's cinematic universe, rather than simply booking athletically compelling matches like its competitor, MMA.
Unlike product marketing, sports marketing cannot control the core product’s performance (wins/losses). The primary job is to build deep, personal connections between fans and athletes. This creates emotional "insulation" where fan loyalty is tied to the people and the brand, not just unpredictable on-court results.
In an internet-savvy era, WWE's creative strategy involves blending a performer's true personality with their on-screen persona. This blurs the fourth wall, making audiences question what's real versus fantasy, which Paul Levesque says is when the product becomes 'magical' and most engaging.
WWE's live events thrive by attracting multi-generational family groups. Paul Levesque believes this shared experience, where different generations bond over stars past and present, is a powerful driver of success in a post-COVID world that increasingly values experiences over material possessions.
Paul Levesque claims WWE develops skills suited for any profession by focusing on charisma—the innate ability to connect with people. This skill, honed through performance and media training, is seen as more critical for long-term success in business or politics than specific technical abilities.
Ari Emanuel describes his leadership style as a "democratic dictatorship." This involves gathering diverse opinions from all levels of the operation to inform decisions, but ultimately retaining centralized authority to make the final call. This balances collaborative input with decisive leadership, crucial for managing fluid businesses.
Strict adherence to brand cohesion often stifles creativity and results in subjective boardroom debates. Brands achieve more by focusing on creating relevant, timely content that resonates with their audience, even if it occasionally breaks established stylistic guidelines.
Paul Levesque's creative philosophy is that modern audiences reject one-dimensional bad guys. The most effective antagonists are those who genuinely believe their actions are right, creating a nuanced conflict that reflects the real world's moral ambiguity and resonates more deeply with viewers.
The next marketing wave isn't chasing viral trends, which builds trend recall but not brand recall. Instead, brands must create immersive, episodic 'worlds' that function as standalone entertainment. This shifts the goal from grabbing attention to holding it through compelling, serialized content.
Drawing parallels between wrestling and politics, Paul Levesque asserts that voters ultimately choose presidential candidates based on charisma and personal connection, not policy details. He cites figures like Donald Trump as examples of personalities whose ability to command an audience is their primary asset.
Every compelling story needs conflict, which requires an enemy. Companies can define their enemy in one of three ways: direct competitors (e.g., other vodkas), competing approaches (e.g., cycling vs. the tube), or beliefs you stand against (e.g., humans are terrible drivers). This ABC framework (Approaches, Beliefs, Competitors) simplifies narrative creation.