Billy Corgan Gets Publicity For His Wrestling Promotion In Walter E. Smithe Furniture Commercial

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 19, 2013 9:45PM

Here's something that, more than Michael Jordan turning 50, makes us feel old. Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan dons a pair of dress slacks and a royal blue cardigan in a new commercial for Walter E. Smithe Furniture.

The premise of the commercial has Corgan and the Smithe brothers playing musical chairs in a wrestling ring. When one of the Smithe brothers responds to being eliminated from the game by shoving Corgan, the Great Pumpkin responds by bringing members of his Resistance Pro Wrestling promotion to the ring to stomp mud holes in the asses of the Smithe Brothers.

The in-ring action builds to a rousing climax when one of the wrestlers attempts to smash a chair over the head of a Smithe, only to be stopped by Corgan who notes, “That’s a Walter M. Smithe chair.”

So not only is the commercial another in a long line of wacky ads for Walter E. Smithe, but Corgan gets some promotion for Resistance Pro Wrestling. Smooth move, as he acknowledged to Crain’s Chicago Business’ Shia Kapos.

"Branding anything these days is a real challenge," says Mr. Corgan, who recently opened a tea shop in Highland Park and whose band is going strong. "We have to build credibility in the wrestling community. It's based on visibility and name recognition." And what better way to get visibility than with a local brand like Walter E. Smithe, he says. And since neither party pays the other to be involved, it's a win for both.