Author Topic: What's Reggie thinking for Marketing the Wii? (Read 8127 times)

Dryden · « **on:** May 15, 2006, 10:40:46 PM »

I know that we were all embarassed by the XBox 360 MTV "Unvieling" with Elija Wood and gang... But isn't that the kind of attitude Nintendo took at their press conference at E3 this year? Watching other people play the games? Even on their website, they're pushing consumer response to the Wii.

I hated the XBox MTV special as much as any gamer... but Nintendo might just be thinking a TV special might be the way to best introduce the Wii to the public pre-launch. Their basic message is that you *have* to play it before you're hooked... and pre-launch, the easiest way to simulate that is showing other people playing it and reacting to it in a realistic fashion (i.e. NOT the Super Mario Galaxy promo video).

See, the XBox 360 MTV special was very much empty hype - while a Wii special would be backed-up hype. What do you guys think?

ShyGuy · « **Reply #1 on:** May 15, 2006, 10:50:37 PM »

I think the Nintendo street team is going to be working overtime this summer.

By the way, I noticed that Reggie didn't do a lot of press after the conference. Why is that?

OptimusPrime · « **Reply #2 on:** May 16, 2006, 03:32:32 AM »

He was looking for J Allard, to kick his ass.
Sadly enough, J didn't come over to LA this year.

SgtShiversBen · « **Reply #3 on:** May 16, 2006, 06:37:38 AM »

While waiting in line, they had some advertising things for the Wii and it sort of had an iRobot feel to it. "With Wii, you are no longer tethered to just playing games, you interact with them" or something like that. It was pretty interesting in that it made it seem like the Wii was a living breathing thing.

Pale · « **Reply #4 on:** May 16, 2006, 07:12:43 AM »

Are you talking about the people behind the monitors that talked to you?

I saw some guys get perma-banned from the Nintendo booth at one of those things.

SgtShiversBen · « **Reply #5 on:** May 16, 2006, 07:24:00 AM »

No, these were things that were being blared all over the Nintendo booth. It was kind of like the Brain Age commercial only geared more towards a wider audience.

I do remember one slogan though, found it interesting: "Wii will always be there" Now, I don't know if it was meant to be as the Wii or we, but it sounded cool. Also, some booth girl tried to sing We Will Rock You. It was pretty funny.

The Omen · « **Reply #6 on:** May 16, 2006, 10:07:30 AM »

Quote
While waiting in line, they had some advertising things for the Wii and it sort of had an iRobot feel to it. "With Wii, you are no longer tethered to just playing games, you interact with them" or something like that. It was pretty interesting in that it made it seem like the Wii was a living breathing thing.

Looked like more of a Minority Report feel.

Griffin · « **Reply #7 on:** May 16, 2006, 08:05:28 PM »

"John Anderton! If you love Nintendo, Wii will give you experiences like no other!"

EasyCure · « **Reply #8 on:** May 17, 2006, 08:39:56 AM »

if you've played giest:

remember the intro level when you first become a wandering spirit? i want all Wii commercials to look like that lol. all the colors just stood out beutifully and the voice was somehow tranquil yet robatic at the same time. Wii ads should make you give off a high-tech vibe while comforting non-gamers. thats the way to go

Ceric · « **Reply #9 on:** May 17, 2006, 11:46:26 AM »

"The Wii. It's what you get when you come the coolness of a Robot and the warmth of a Mom."

Like that?

You know once your Mom is assimilated it will just like that.

Stimutacs Addict · « **Reply #10 on:** May 17, 2006, 03:32:37 PM »

the thing is: Msoft revealed the Xbox360 for teh first time via their lame MTV special.

the Wii has already been publicized, etc. it would not be unveiled through the TV special, thus Nintendo would not take as much flak as Msoft did.

nemo_83 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 17, 2006, 04:24:59 PM »

Normally I would have all kinds of ideas, but I have yet to come up with anything for the name Wii, yeah, the name still sucks, it's a fact; there is nothing clever about it and everytime I say it in a conversation it garners giggles.

So, my marketing idea, they show their Wii animation and then the words Nintendo Revolution Entertainment System drop from the sky and destroy the letters w i i, The Beatles kick in, and the console is revealed to be more than a recased GameCube with a peripheral by showing graphical videos that are on par with 360. Since that isn't going to happen; I still don't know how to explain to people how Wii is anything more than a sh!t pun for We or Wee or French for yes. People hear it and it gives them no description of how the controller works.

EasyCure · « **Reply #12 on:** May 17, 2006, 04:34:29 PM »

yes ceric, just like that

IceCold · « **Reply #13 on:** October 25, 2006, 08:32:53 PM »

Here's a good start..

WuTangTurtle · « **Reply #14 on:** October 26, 2006, 09:04:21 AM »

thats a pretty good start indeed. Lets just hope the tv commercial ads don't suck like Sony's...

Ceric · « **Reply #15 on:** October 26, 2006, 10:28:40 AM »

Sony has commercials... *repressing bad memories of PSP and PS3 commercials* ...I thought they only had fan made ones.

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #16 on:** October 26, 2006, 10:38:18 AM »

From everything I've seen and heard, the DS commercials are excellent and prove a very solid point.

I assume the Wii ads will be immensely similar to the Wii experience videos we've been seeing already, if those aren't ACTUALLY the commercials already. Seriously, just air one of those and tack on a fade to white which then has the Wii logo fade in and it's a perfect commercial for what they're trying to say.

Long gone are the days of the god-awful "Who are you?" ad campaign. Nintendo finally has their advertising straight.

couchmonkey · « **Reply #17 on:** October 26, 2006, 11:59:05 AM »

Hey, I thought I replied to this thread....oh well, I agree with Smash_Brother, the Wii experience videos are very similar to what the final commercials will be like, but I suspect they're going to go for a more slick approach for the actual ads. Imagine moving versions of the awesome dudes and dudettes that they've been putting in the screenshots.

Ceric · « **Reply #18 on:** October 26, 2006, 12:02:46 PM »

I actually think a Fade to black be better. With the Logo fading into the center as the black gets strong.

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #19 on:** October 26, 2006, 12:05:56 PM »

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Originally posted by: Ceric
I actually think a Fade to black be better. With the Logo fading into the center as the black gets strong.

Oooo, I like that...

Quote
Imagine moving versions of the awesome dudes and dudettes that they've been putting in the screenshots.

That's a tough call.

On one hand, I can see the "party" aspect of the Wii being played up. On the other hand, the simple, "father and son playing virtual baseball" angle with the quiet and unobtrusive Wii logo showing up at the end works too.

They'll probably have both, actually, depending on which demographic they're aiming for.

zakkiel · « **Reply #20 on:** October 26, 2006, 01:10:10 PM »

Quote
From everything I've seen and heard, the DS commercials are excellent and prove a very solid point.

Yeah, the "Do something with your nothing" seems pretty good to me. Definitely better than the talking dustballs, though I suppose that's a pretty tame accolade, all things considered.

JonLeung · « **Reply #21 on:** October 26, 2006, 01:18:00 PM »

I remember seeing Sleepy Hollow and The World Is Not Enough on the same evening (probably the only night I saw two movies in a theater in one evening, actually) and there was a trailer for The Talented Mr. Ripley on each of them. However, they were entirely different in mood...one of them was just downright creepy, and you wouldn't've thought that with the other one.

Point is, Nintendo could also have two different styles of commercials. I like ones that could be like the Wii Experience videos...simply showing supposedly real people having fun with it (though it'd probably have more game footage to show what the people are doing). That would probably attract the people that might want to enjoy the Wii but don't necessarily already play games, i.e. the non-gamers Nintendo wants to attract. But if they just have that, it might not really reach the people that want the next cool thing, so there should be more active commercials, more montage-y cuts showing all kinds of people having fun with it in different ways, you know, more like the Wii promo videos shown last month with the hired actors that all wore white (most also with a hint of blue, if you paid attention).

I almost want to totally geek out and only wear white (with a hint of blue) on Nov. 19 so I can be just like those people. The Nintendo Street Team or whatever they're called, those people that promote Nintendo, they should all be dressed like that.

Strell · « **Reply #22 on:** October 26, 2006, 06:21:01 PM »

First of all, Reggie will continue to take names and kick ass, which he is wont to do.

Second of all, I already said how they should market this. They should set up huge see-through boxes in highly crowded places, and invite people in to play various games.

Doing this is Times Square, for example, would generate a huge amount of exposure.

I think they should also hit up unconventional sources as well. If you want old women to play it, get an Oprah endorsement. Want the elderly to play? Set up demo units in retirement homes in Florida.

This thing will practically sell itself once word gets out.

JonLeung · « **Reply #23 on:** October 26, 2006, 06:33:25 PM »

About the old people...

High Tech Industry Leaders Are Increasingly Focusing Products and Services on Americans 50 Plus; AARP's National Event & Expo

Some kind of expo focusing on people aged 50 and up includes the opportunity to play the Wii.

50 isn't THAT old...for some lucky people that means they still have more than half their life left...but it's certainly up into the range of people that aren't associated with video games. This will open some eyes if it becomes a hit here.

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #24 on:** October 26, 2006, 06:52:24 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: JonLeung
I remember seeing Sleepy Hollow and The World Is Not Enough on the same evening (probably the only night I saw two movies in a theater in one evening, actually) and there was a trailer for The Talented Mr. Ripley on each of them. However, they were entirely different in mood...one of them was just downright creepy, and you wouldn't've thought that with the other one.

They did that with "Good Will Hunting" as well: one trailer made it out to be a chick-flick while the other showed Matt Damon and Ben Affleck beating up guys in a basketball court starting with "Two guys from the WRONG side of the tracks..."

Nintendo has been doing this with DS ads. A friend was just telling me that the DS ads during kids shows are just like other game ads. Meanwhile, the "Touch Generations" ads shown during primetime show bored adults in three different situations, like waiting to pick up their kid at school or waiting in a waiting room, then it says "Do something with your nothing" and shows these adults playing with their DSes, Brain Age, Nintendogs, etc.

Believe me when I say that Nintendo knows now, more than ever, how to advertise their products.

News:

Author Topic: What's Reggie thinking for Marketing the Wii? (Read 8127 times)