THE 14TH ANNUAL SHORTY AWARDS

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From the 8th Annual Shorty Impact Awards

WWE Celebrates 40 Years of Make-A-Wish Wish Granting

Winner in Sports

Audience Honor in Sports

Objectives

Utilizing passionate WWE Superstars and through a best-in-class creative, holistic approach to activation across our global platforms, WWE has been successful in driving meaningful and measurable impact for our community partners. A brand that touches every corner of the world, WWE and our Superstars are working with partners directly to empower individuals and communities both near and far.

 

Proud partners with Make-A-Wish for more than 40 years, WWE and our Superstars are turning wishes into a reality by conducting intimate meet-and-greets and providing extraordinary experiences. Although it takes imagination to create a wish, it takes a universe of volunteers, medical professionals, donors, supporters and even WWE Superstars to make it happen. Leading into World Wish Day, the anniversary of the wish that founded Make-A-Wish, WWE developed a 360-degree campaign to celebrate this inspiring day and partnership. Through a one-of-a-kind campaign, WWE also looked to raise funds and awareness for Make-A-Wish and the individuals and families this transformational organization helps every day across the country.

Strategy and Execution

Bringing Make-A-Wish and their mission to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses to a global stage, WWE developed an effective strategy to spotlight this inspiring organization at the company’s annual pop culture extravaganza, WrestleMania. Leveraging WWE’s larger-than-life Superstars, second-to-none production capabilities, thrilling live events and unmatched social media following, WWE was able to customize and develop a truly unique campaign that cannot be replicated across any other sports or entertainment property.

 

The campaign officially kicked off at WrestleMania on Saturday, April 1 from SoFi Stadium when WWE Superstar John Cena, the all-time most requested celebrity wish granter, invited wish kids to join him for his entrance prior to his match. An unforgettable experience, 20 wish kids stood alongside Cena where they received cheers and applause from more than 80,000 fans. Kicking off Night One of WWE’s marquee event, this was also the first time in WWE’s partnership with Make-A-Wish that wish kids were incorporated into WrestleMania.

 

During WrestleMania Week in Los Angeles, WWE also hosted a special meet-and-greet for the Make-A-Wish kids and their families at Universal Studios. It was also at this event WWE Superstars Cody Rhodes, Liv Morgan, Finn Bálor, Bayley, Carmella and Omos and Make-A-Wish's WWE Kid Correspondent Evan St. Amand helped induct the wish kids into WWE’s Circle of Champions—an exclusive group that honors the perseverance and toughness of wish kids.

 

Additional campaign highlights included a WWE/Make-A-Wish PSA narrated by Cena that aired across WWE’s programs, Monday Night Raw, NXT and Friday Night SmackDown. WWE and our Superstars including Cena, Charlotte Flair, Drew McIntyre and Bianca Belair also promoted World Wish Day across their social media accounts.

Results

Throughout the month of April leading into World Wish Day, WWE achieved the following results:

 

 

Cena’s entrance at WrestleMania featuring the 20 wish kids also received attention from global publications including Yahoo! Life, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Insider and Daily Mail.

Media

Entrant Company / Organization Name

WWE

Link

Entry Credits