World Wrestling Entertainment is using a trio of its star performers in tandem with Rock the Vote, a non-profit group dedicated to engage young people in political advocacy to spur Iowa high school students to participate in tonight’s Democratic and Republican Caucuses.
The effort, in cooperation with Rock the Vote’s “Rock the Caucus” campaign in Iowa, entails a promotional poster featuring “Extreme Championship Wrestling” champ CM Punk, WWE star Mr. Kennedy and WWE Diva Maria posted in high schools statewide. The poster reads, “Want Politicians to Listen to you? Show Up.” Below, it features photos of the wrestling stars.
WWE also created a public service announcement with Mr. Kennedy that has been airing on CW cable network affiliates in Iowa.
The WWE poster and the PSA can both be downloaded at http://www.smackdownyourvote.com.
Rock the Vote uses music, pop culture and new technologies to motivate young voters to participate in the process. “Rock the Caucus,” a cooperative effort between Rock the Vote and Iowa’s PIRG’s New Voters Project, is aimed at turning out 17- and 18-year-olds for their first caucuses.
WWE’s Iowa mini-media blitz is the latest blast in its “Smackdown Your Vote” initiative, which was inaugurated during the 2000 presidential election campaign.
The wrestling entertainment giant hopes to have a positive impact on the trend of the increasing number of voters aged 18 to 29 who turned out for the 2004 and 2006 elections.
At the 2004 Iowa party caucuses, only 289 high school students out of an eligible voting population of 40,000 showed up to participate.
This time around, WWE estimates that “Rock The Caucus” has reached 1,300 high students in Iowa through classroom assemblies. An additional 14,000 have gotten the message online through the “Rock The Caucus” Web site and Facebook.
“We want that momentum to continue in 2008,” said WWE spokesman Gary Davis. “We’ve continued to expand our activities every year.”
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