WWE Follows Fruity Pebbles Deal with Promotional Agreement for Irish Spring Soap

First, cereal. Now, soap.

What’s next?

WWE announced in Ad Age that it has signed a new promotional deal with Colgate-Palmolive for its Irish Spring line of soaps.  While nothing else was revealed, one would expect that former World Heavyweight champion Sheamus will be featured prominently in the campaign. Sheamus, born Stephen Farrelly in Dublin, is the first Irish-born WWE champion in company history.  WWE began soliciting promotional deals with family-product companies in 2008 as part of its switch to a PG rating. The Fruity Pebbles and the Irish Spring deals were the first ones consummated.

The Irish Spring promotion news comes on the heels of an announcement that John Cena will be featured on boxes of Post-owned Fruity Pebbles cereal. During the run-up to their match at WrestleMania 28 last April, The Rock often called Cena “Fruity Pebbles” for wearing colorful T-shirts to the ring.

WWE and Colgate-Palmolive previously had worked together on an Irish Spring sponsorship of the “Bracketology” page on WWE.com. This particular page asked fans to view videos of Sheamus’ career highlights and vote for their favorite. The ultimate winner was Sheamus winning the 2012 Royal Rumble.

And more may be on the way. AdAge quoted Andrew Judelson, WWE’s executive vice president of sales and sponsorship, as saying other deals are forthcoming:

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“Just because we say we've moved to PG doesn't mean corporate America immediately is going to respond," he added. "It takes consistency, it takes time and I think what's happening now ... is there is a tipping point.”

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Just don’t go looking for a Swiss Miss cocoa ad starring Antonio Cesaro.

Follow Bill Atkinson on Twitter at @BAtkinson1963.