financial services

Hulk Hogan Teams Up With Loan Company

Hogan

  Who's currently the hottest pitch man in town? It's none other than pro wrestler turned reality TV star Terry Bollea, better known by his ring name, Hulk Hogan.

Hogan will be the new face of direct financer title loan company 1-800-LoanMart starting in early July. He will be featured in national TV and radio ads along with special appearances by WWF manager Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart.

Currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Hogan has maintained popularity since the mid-'80s as the all-American, working-class hero character Hulk Hogan in the World Wrestling Foundation (now known as World Wrestling Entertainment).

Darren Prince, CEO of Prince Marketing Group, Hulk Hogan's longtime marketing agent, negotiated the deal. 1-800LoanMart is a direct financer title loan company that enables car owners to achieve their financial objectives by supplying them with a car loan through financing methods that are secured by the value of the car and not by the customer's credit standing.

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"Hogan is an amazing athlete and an extremely positive individual," says Colby Estes, marketing director of 1-800-LoanMart. "His larger-than-life persona brings a depth of character and experience that is unrivaled."

Somewhat ironically, Hogan also is currently stumping for a New London, Conn.-based debt-referral company, Debt Help Center USA, owned by National Media Connection. As a partner in the debt-settlement commercials, Hogan will receive an up-front fee plus incentives and bonuses based on the number of callers responding to the ads in which he is featured.

In one spot, Hogan rips apart a shirt that reads "Don't Sweat the Debt." Responses to the ads are automatically routed to various companies that pay for the referrals. Those clients are charged based on the number of calls their company receives.

Hogan is also currently on air in TV spots for Rent-A-Center, a rent-to-own company. He joins the company's lead spokesperson, Troy Aikman, the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and Fox Sports broadcaster, in the company's latest marketing efforts.

With his legions of loyal "Hulkamaniacs," Hogan enjoys broad popular appeal across multiple consumer segments. "Hulk has been a consistent presence on TV, in movies and in arenas across the U.S. for more than 30 years," says Ann Davids, Rent-A-Center senior vice president and chief marketing officer, in a statement. "He's stayed relevant because people like and respect what he stands for."

The integrated campaign, created by Rent-A-Center Marketing Alliance partners Razor, Launch Agency, and Hispanic specialist Co. Jones, includes radio in addition to TV, print, interactive and in-store marketing. OMD plans and purchases the broadcast media. Rent-A-Center operates more than 3,000 company-owned rent-to-own stores in 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Canada.

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