John Cena Continues Post Deal; WWE Hints at More Endorsement Deals

WWE and Post Cereals are expanding their marketing agreement by now featuring a cartoon version of John Cena on boxes of Fruity Pebbles. The limited-edition promotion will temporarily boot "Pebbles" frontman Fred Flintstone from the cereal box covers.

"We've just been talking with kids. They wanted more variety," a Post representative told Ad Age. "Fred isn't necessarily the...coolest or (most) relevant guy for kids who we are going after." As Ad Age noted, apparently Cena is.

Last year, WWE/Cena struck up an endorsement deal with Post after "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson said Cena looks like a "big, fat bowl of Fruity Pebbles," referring to Cena's various merchandising colors through the years.

This year, Post has moved Cena's likeness to the box cover in-time for the start of school. Also, additional promotions are planned, including a sweepstakes.

WWE says they were not looking for an endorsement deal at the time of Rock's promo, but the partnership with Post allowed WWE to sell corporations on WWE's product carrying a PG-TV label.

"It doesn't happen overnight," said Andrew Judelson, WWE's Executive VP of sales and sponsorship. "Just because we say we've moved to PG doesn't mean corporate America immediately is going to respond."

One recent deal is a new partnership with Colgate-Palmolive's "Irish Spring" soap, according to Judelson. More deals could be coming after the apparent success of WWE/Cena and Post's "Fruity Pebbles."