Topic: Nintendo asks "Who are you?"

[Mario]

Wow. I must say, this is impressive. This is very ambitous marketing. I like it.

Quote
NINTENDO ASKS, 'WHO ARE YOU?'

New Multimillion-Dollar Campaign Helps Players Explore Their 'Inner Gamer'

REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 29, 2003 – "Who are you?" is a question that Nintendo of America will be asking video game players of all ages in a new multimedia campaign beginning this fall.

The campaign showcases the ability of Nintendo games to let players explore a wide range of emotions and personalities through Nintendo's stable of the most popular and diverse video game characters in the world. Beginning today, Nintendo will introduce its new tagline, "who are you?" through various marketing channels. More than $50 million will be invested in launching the "who are you?" campaign, part of a total marketing push of $100 million through the end of the year. The new campaign was developed in conjunction with Leo Burnett USA in Chicago.

The "who are you?" idea will be introduced nationwide through cinema advertisements, print ads, out-of-home elements that include wall murals and 30-sheet billboards in major cities, transit ads, mall banners and dioramas, in-store merchandising and other elements. An online component features interactive ads and a "who are you?" Web site located at www.nintendo.com/whoareyou.

"Nintendo permanently established video games as a key element of popular culture, and 'who are you?' embodies the emotional connection players have with their favorite games and characters," says George Harrison, senior vice president, marketing and corporate communications, Nintendo of America Inc. "This campaign celebrates what makes Nintendo unique – the fact that we offer the widest range of personalities through which you can unleash your other self … your game self."

"Who are you?" is the first Nintendo campaign that ties together both the Nintendo GameCube console and hand-held Game Boy Advance products under a single theme. Moving forward, the "who are you?" tagline will be an integral part of all Nintendo's marketing efforts, including game-specific campaigns.

"This is not about changing who we are," says Harrison. "Nintendo has been and always will be about making great video games for all ages. This campaign simply enables us to speak with one unified voice."

The campaign features a cinema commercial that is one of the most ambitious commercials ever produced by Nintendo, featuring more than 500 extras and notable talent such as the stunt coordinator for Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and the editor of Amelie. Filmed in Asia, the ad pays homage to Nintendo's heritage. The 60-second spot will run on nearly 10,000 screens in movie theaters across the United States beginning Oct. 30, prior to movies ranging from The Matrix Revolutions to The Cat in the Hat in order to reach a diverse group of video game players. In addition, 30- and 15-second versions of the commercial will be used on television in October to promote Super Mario® Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. ® 3, one of the most anticipated new games for Game Boy Advance.

In the campaign's print ads, Nintendo characters will be "taped" onto well-known photographs and images, including the Mona Lisa and the Berlin Wall, among others. The ads illustrate the point that Nintendo games allow players to take on a wide range of imaginative roles and reinforce Nintendo's position as an innovator that shapes pop culture. Print ads will appear in nearly 20 different magazines, including Rolling Stone, Stuff, Spin and ESPN.

The worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home and portable video game systems. Each year, hundreds of all-new titles for the best-selling Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCube™ systems extend Nintendo's vast game library and continue the tradition of delivering a rich, diverse mix of quality video games for players of all ages. Since the release of its first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 1.8 billion video games globally, creating enduring industry icons such as Mario™ and Donkey Kong® and launching popular culture franchise phenomena such as Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.

For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site, www.nintendo.com.

Who are you?

[Bill Aurion]

I feel that this has something to do with Stage Debut, but I have no idea why...

[Infernal Monkey]

It's funky. They've taken the Sony approach to marketing by the looks of it (ie; obscure), and I like it. The "Who are you" part of the website is brilliant, and actually made me laugh out loud. Check out the 'What's my mood?'. Hehehehehe.

Cool screensavers, too.
And they better offer this upcoming 60 second advert on their site for those of us that don't live in the US!

[Hostile Creation]

Very cool idea. . . I cannot wait to see some of these commercials; they definitely sound promising.

[DrForester]

our nintendo rep came in and told me about this today (Including giving me a "who are you" tshirt).  

[Berto2K]

I will definitely be watching more TV on my computer to try and capture any commercials.  The tricky part will be recognizing them quick enough.  But if they are spending this much money on it, there should be a plethora of them to see.  I hope that somewhere we will be able to get the cinema trailer to download as well.

[Bloodworth]

oh hey this is in talkback now.  Thanks.