Hypothetical: Cena Wearing Another Superstars Merchandise

[CelticCorey]

Let me first off say that this is a hypothetical situation ONLY and I am NOT expecting this to happen any time soon if ever. With that being said, people know how much merchandise Cena sells. No matter how many new shirts, what color, hats, armbands, you name it, he makes the WWE so much money. The only thing I have seen rival Cena in recent memory is Punk's Best in the World T-Shirts.

But what happened if Cena wore a different superstars' clothing to promote that superstar? Let's use Zack Ryder, for example. We all know how hard Zack Ryder has tried to get over. Some really like him, some casuals may not seem to care yet. Let's say John Cena comes out wearing Zack Ryder's new t-shirt, since John Cena has tried to get Ryder on TV.

#1 Could Cena wearing another person's merchandise help that person get over and bring in new sales?

#2 Could said person LOSE points with some fans since Cena is promoting him?

#3 To what affect would such a promotion help X superstar? Would they be more over?

Again I'm not suggesting this actually HAPPEN or anything but I thought it'd be fun to discuss.

 

[ABMorales787]

Wrestlers wear their own merch to let fan's know it's available. Merch sales will only go up if the appeal for that wrestler goes up. Cena could come out wearing a Yoshi Tatsu shirt and if Yoshi Tatsu isn't doing anything to get crowd support, Cena carrying his stuff will be totally pointless.

 

[therockiswwf]

CM Punk wore Austin shirt when he did his shoot a few weeks back but yes i reckon it would work!

He did that to make fun of him.

I really don't think it would work. The point of buying someone's merch is because you like that superstar/diva. Having Cena come out in anyone elses merch would just confuse people and really wouldn't help the sales of a guys merch just because of Cena. I wouldn't get a Yoshi shirt because Cena wore it, I would get it because I like Yoshi.

But to answer your questions:

1. No Cena just wearing some guys merch wouldn't help them in anyway. Maybe it could bring in a few more sales but it probably wouldn't be much.

2. A LOT of people like Cena (me included) so it wouldn't lose them any points but it wouldn't help much either. But I think people would still go for Cena's merch over whoever's merch Cena was wearing.

3. I think nothing would happen other than confuse the fans.

 

[misfits1904]

Punk wore the Stone Cold shirt because that's the only one he had in his gym bag at the time because he was in the ring earlier on Raw that night and lost his own t-shirt then.

But anyway to answer the question, I think it would boost the sales slightly with maybe the younger the fans who will copy Cena as much as they can. But I generally think the older fans will wear a wrestlers merchandise that they like rather than wear a wrestlers merchandise that a wrestler they like likes.

 

[Taker Sucks]

-___- No. It would work if they maybe were his protege ,but its supposed to be vice versa.

Punk wore Austin shirt.. Well for one Punk is not Cena he is not the powerhouse in the money making department. Not to mention AUSTIN IS RETIRED! Why would Austin need a push?

So yeah... No bad idea.

 

[I_Am_Electro_Boy]

I don't know like another guy said it may help in sales slightly with kids wanting to be like Cena so they'll wear anything he does. But it probably wouldn't be worth it as a wrestler sells merch because people like that wrestler and it doesn't matter if someone promotes merch people won't buy something if they don't like the person who's merch it is.

 

[darbare]

Imo it would reek of desperation..it would be like, Hey look Im wearing Hornswoggles shirt because Im so popular and no one else has their shrts bought!! See what Im sayin, it pretty much says without saying that Cena is the only guy capable of making money, which is pretty sad

 

[Jeff]

I think it depends on how many times a wrestler like Cena wears it. If Cena was wearing Ryders shirt for example, I think only wearing it one time wouldn't do anything. If he wore it a few times for a few different Raw's in a row then I think it would increase. However here is a philosophical question for you. If Cena wore Ryder's shirt over and over again...would it still be Ryder's shirt or would it become Cena's shirt?

 

[AmneonX]

I think the only way this would work, or even happen for that matter is if Cena was teaming with that person at the time. If Cena and Ryder were talking in back, and in a tag team match. I could see Cena in a Ryder Headband. But not any other way.

 

[enviousdominous]

Punk wore an Austin shirt, yes. I'm sure Austin sells a lot of shirts anyway.

John Cena wearing another superstar's shirt would be pointless, it's not within his character to immitate a different wrestler anyway. I doubt WWEShop.com is going to be slapping merchandise with an "As worn by John Cena" label to make it sell more.

Kids absolutely have to have the John Cena cap, oversized shirt, wrist band and sippy cup, and after John evolves into a new flourescant color their parents are going to have to fork over another chunk of cash to avoid week long tantrums. If that same kid sees Cena wearing a Zack Ryder shirt it would more betray their infatuation with Cena than it would make them adore Zack Ryder.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

I can sort of see it. Let's say you have a babyface with a similar audience as Cena and they become buddies, and then the babyface gets "injured" and Cena wears their merch to "keep him in my heart man" or whatever. Then I can see maybe a small boost in sale for that guy's shirt, probably more in his overness though.

You couldn't just throw any superstars shirt on Cena though. Has to be a babyface with a similar target audience and has to be a situation that makes sense. Not only that but for WWE to do this, they'd have to factor in a possible drop in sales if Cena isn't out there pimping his own merch. Probably wouldn't be much at all because Cena is such a beast, but it's a thought. Gotta try to look at every possible economic outcome and see if it's a total loss or gain compared to all your other options.