Topic: Marketing the Wii for dummies....

[WuTangTurtle]

Alright just curious here, do you think Nintendo's Marketing will fail or possibly intice non gamers?

I was just remembering how the commercials for Nintendogs were done, and thought how terrible it was yet it sold well.

And just to get more conversation going how would you market the Wii? (Be as serious or as funny as you want to be)

If only Metroid Prime 3 was a launch title I would have shown a girl picking up a wii-mote flippin on the game and watch as the wii-mote changes into Samus's canon and then have her totally transformed into Samus's armor.  Then throw on a cheesy line like "Now your Playing for Real" lol.

[Shecky]

Well if I had to come up with something, I'd use Wii Sports as a starter.  Have a game of golf/tennis where you see people having fun playing a game (not just intense playing), but the camera doesn't ever really give you a good shot of the tool being used to play.  Follow with a shot of them playing with nothing but the Wii Remote (still playing like they had a full club/racket).  Then finish with a shot of the console and maybe game footage with a voiceover on the current promotion/availability.

Oh and they need to sound something at the beginning to freaking catch peoples attention.  I don't know how many times I walked to the TV every time I hear the Playstation "ding" before every commercial.  Why not use the Nintendo chime (like the one in Super Mario World)?

[Blue Plant]

Quote
Originally posted by: Shecky

Oh and they need to sound something at the beginning to freaking catch peoples attention.  I don't know how many times I walked to the TV every time I hear the Playstation "ding" before every commercial.  Why not use the Nintendo chime (like the one in Super Mario World)?

I agree.  I've fallen in love with the ding sound they're using for the Japanese DS commercials, such as this one.

[UncleBob]

What marketing?

[ShyGuy]

The Nintendo marketing department: Two guys, a telephone, and a deck of cards.

[IceCold]

Adding to what Shecky said, they could have someone holding the remote, then using it in many different scenarios (sports, shooting etc). You show them with the remote in hand, and then the remote blends into a tennis racquet, or a gun or something, and the backgrounds change to make it seem like it's in-game. Then transform back into the remote, then back to another game. You do this for a few games, than at the end cut to the Wii logo, and the slogan "LIVE IN YOUR WORLD. PLAY IN OUR'S"

[Artimus]

Only need to do three things to market the Wii for everyone:

1) Get a segment on Oprah, make sure Oprah and audience members do it (other talk shows are useful too, i.e. Ellen, but Oprah is the big one)
2) Put it in as many shopping malls in America as possible this fall, let everyone try it
3) Advertise the heck out of people of all ages playing it and having fun, or just advertise the heck out of it period

[mantidor]

So far all the marketing material has been great, Nintendo changed completly and I think their marketing for the console is pretty good so far. It has a very neutral feeling, it doesnt appeal to the "cool kids" or the eldery only, its very aproachable by anyone.

[Stimutacs Addict]

- two full page ads in Time magazine + shoot for a cover story. One ad is all white and just says "Wii" or Wii.com,; next page actually shows console/controller/WiiSports/RedSteel and give details.

- get it on Good Morning America or CNN or Regis and Kelly.**** Oprah

[GoldenPhoenix]

Well the odd couple of Reggie and Iwata has shown me that they know alot more than I thought I knew about how they were marketing. So far both of them have been batting a pretty high average and I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt they know what they are doing, heck they made handheld games "cool" for non-gamers with brain age, so why not Wii?

[Smash_Brother]

It worked with the DS and many people who shouldn't know about the Wii somehow DO know about it.

I have faith.

[KDR_11k]

*show picture of the entire NoE staff lined up*

"For every million Wiis sold we will fire one of these idiots."

That should sell like 100 million Wiis.

[Kairon]

Wii play, wii share, wii talk. Wii are Nintendo's marketting.

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[GoldenPhoenix]

Hey can you guys possibly explain to me why NoE is so bad? I'd be interested in hearing it!

[King of Twitch]

Not too long ago they said they were thinking of selling games (or maybe that was GBA micro) in untraditional locations. It only makes sense to do it with wii.  

[WuTangTurtle]

hmm just a thought maybe they could do a commercial where it starts out on a new york street and everyone is walking around and then transition it with the Mii Channel.  Then flip to the WiiSports games, showcase the system, the online abilities and some games then end with the price and date.

I too love the DS "ding", i also like the GCN kiosks "Gamecube", you know the cool whisper of someone saying "Gamecube".  I wish that sound bit was the original startup for the system.  It's alot better than both actual startup noises (hold z at startup).

[Michael8983]

Nintendo needs two different types of marketting.
One for the hardcore/traditional gamers and one for the non-gamers.
The first is easiest. Just advertise the hell out of Twilight Princess. The game is going to be a masterpeice and gamers have been waiting for a realistic Zelda more in the vain of Oot. It's really all Nintendo needs to bring in the first group.
Advertising to the non-gamers will be a little more difficult but fortunately Nintendo already has experience with games like Nintendogs and especially Brain Age. Like with these games, Nintendo needs to advertise Wii Sports outside of the realm of gamers. On talk shows, in non-gaming magzines, etc... It needs to get people interested in the console for its affordability and dedictation to pick up and play gesture based games. Including Wii Sports is a smart move to. It's important that non-gamers have something included in the package because they're less likely than hardcore gamers to be willing to pick up the software seperately.

The trick is advertising to both groups and doing it well.
Wii Sports has only moderate appeal to MOST of Nintendo's traditional fans and, like wise, a game like Twilight Princess is going to be too complex to appeal to non-gamers.
But with such ideal games for each group and a range of software in between, Nintendo should do just fine.

[Ceric]

Quote
Originally posted by: ShaolinKilla

If only Metroid Prime 3 was a launch title I would have shown a girl picking up a wii-mote flippin on the game and watch as the wii-mote changes into Samus's canon and then have her totally transformed into Samus's armor.  Then throw on a cheesy line like "Now your Playing with Real Power" lol.

(Blending slogans can't be bad... Right... Right?)

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR
*show picture of the entire NoE staff lined up*

"For every million Wiis sold we will fire one of these idiots."

That should sell like 100 million Wiis.

lol. Thats great

<announcer voice>
First you were playing with power.
Then you were <SNES Slogan>
After that you were <N64 Slogan>
Then you were <Gamecube Slogan>

You've found out that Touching is good.

Now from the Makers of the Virtual Boy and GameBoy Color,
Wii.

(What where your expecting Nintendo SuperCube?)

*Slam*
Coming November 19th to an entertainment center near you.
</announcer>

Actually white couch isn't bad accept it makes some of the people look like they are committed. (Like that old guy.)

Edit:

A little off topic.  Phoenix Wright Wii commercial

Phoenix: I object!  I've never Before been on a console.
Edgeworth:  tsk tsk...  It's because of that point you do.  Until now there has been none capable of real point immersion technology.
*Shocked Phoenix*

Announcer:  Phoenix Wright: The Point of Defense.

Only on Nintendo Wii

[IceCold]

Quote
Then you were <SNES Slogan>
After that you were <N64 Slogan>
Then you were <Gamecube Slogan>

PLAY IT LOUD. GET N OR GET OUT. WHO ARE YOU? GET INTO IT! TOO MUCH FUN!

Hahahah "Then you where Who are you?"

[KDR_11k]

Quote
Originally posted by: VGrevolution
Hey can you guys possibly explain to me why NoE is so bad? I'd be interested in hearing it!

1. Slow localization, we're often waiting months for a game to come out after it has been released in the US. And even then we only get the text translated while all the voice acting remains in English.
2. High prices. Not only do they convert 1$ to 1€ (which is a price increase of ~25%), they even add 10€ on top of that to games (granted, this isn't exclusive to Nintendo, SCEE (who are almost as big a bunch of idiots) and MS do the same). We're paying 60€ for a console game which is about 75-80 US dollars depending on the exchange rate of the day. And 40€ for a DS game which comes out at 50$ US.
3. Missing games. About one third of the games that come out in the US never make it here.
4. No price drops. Gamecube games stay at their 60€ price point until the retailer is tired of wasting the shelf space and throws them into the "who cares if we take a loss, just get rid of it already" bin (I've seen some of the more persistent retailers offer Eternal Darkness at full price still). Playstation 2 games drop in price quite a bit aster, usually they're down to at most 30€ by the time the retailer tosses them out.
5. What happened to progressive scan?

Compare this to PC games which cost 40-45€, drop in price after at most a year and often receive multiple drops until you can buy yesteryear's greatest games for a tenner each and come out with almost zero delay after the US version despite featuring full translations (which means voice acting), sometimes even before the US version (e.g. when the game was made in Europe). Add to that how PC games are usually more adjusted to the desires of the local gamers (due to many of them being made here) and you can understand why the PC takes more shelf space than all consoles combined.

[Ceric]

PC Market of games has been on a decline in the states for a while it seems.  At least I'm having a harder time about it.

So now that I have the information from IceCold here is my pitch in full.

<announcer voice>
First you were playing with power.
Then you were asked to play it loud.
After that you were getting N or getting Out.
Then Nintendo was asking Who are you?

You've found out that Touching is good.

Now from the Makers of the Virtual Boy and GameBoy Color,
Wii.

(What where your expecting Nintendo SuperCube?)<said sort of to the side>

*little music riff*
*Slam*
Coming November 19th to an entertainment center near you.
</announcer>

[couchmonkey]

You know, I just saw a great commercial for Off! bug repellant where they brought back this hunky old guy who was a hunky young guy selling Off! in the 90s for them, and he's like, "I STILL LOVE OFF AFTER 15 YEARS, IT SAVES ME FROM MALARIA AND WEST NILE VIRUS!!"

Nintendo should do that, only with the two kids that did that rap about The Legend of Zelda back in the 80s.

Cool Guy: "Hey, what are you playing?"
Nerdy guy: "It's my new Wii!  Look at these graphics!"
(Both look at centrefold in magazine)
Cool Guy: "Wait a second, this is Playboy."
Nerdy Guy: "Oops, sorry, anyway, let's play some Wii."
Cool Guy: "AWESOME!  Pass me some weed, man!"
(Cool guy plays while nerdy guy raps)
Nerdy guy:
It's called Wii and it's really cool
All those other systems totally drool
WiiSports, Excite Truck, and Zelda of course
My WiiPhotoAlbum has a girl with a horse
The pointer is totally rad...
Nerdy Guy's Mom: "Are you smoking marijuana again?  MOVE OUT already!"

[RickPowers]

Honestly, as a marketer (it's the concentration for my Business major), I'd say that I'd market the Wii exactly as they have been.  I'd primarily feature the people playing the games, and have the gameplay shown as secondary.  Also, for some games, like Madden or Wii Sports, I'd go as far as to get actual sports stars on camera playing the game, but doing it say ... on the football field or on the tennis court.  All geared up, but instead of the ball or the racket, they're using the Wii-mote.  Could you imagine Maria Sharapova in a Wii Tennis commercial on the court playing with the Wii?  THAT, my friends, will sell.  

I'd probably some up with some stupid tagline like "Now you're playing with POWER ... for real" or something like that, but I'd have to put far more thought into it.  But I think that if it's really the casual gamer Nintendo is going after, showing the experience instead of the game will go a long way.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Quote
Originally posted by: RickPowers
Honestly, as a marketer (it's the concentration for my Business major), I'd say that I'd market the Wii exactly as they have been.  I'd primarily feature the people playing the games, and have the gameplay shown as secondary.  Also, for some games, like Madden or Wii Sports, I'd go as far as to get actual sports stars on camera playing the game, but doing it say ... on the football field or on the tennis court.  All geared up, but instead of the ball or the racket, they're using the Wii-mote.  Could you imagine Maria Sharapova in a Wii Tennis commercial on the court playing with the Wii?  THAT, my friends, will sell.  

I'd probably some up with some stupid tagline like "Now you're playing with POWER ... for real" or something like that, but I'd have to put far more thought into it.  But I think that if it's really the casual gamer Nintendo is going after, showing the experience instead of the game will go a long way.

That would be pretty neat, sometimes I wish I would have focused on marketing, I had alot of fun in that class. In fact on our marketing strategy plan for Quizos, which I was team leader for we ended up getting 3rd place with a 92%! Oh well, I think I'll be happy with Business Management so I guess all is not lost!

[Ian Sane]

Nintendo's weakness with marketing on the Cube was that 99% of the time the ad gave no real reason whatsoever to be interested in the product and often to even understand the ad at all you had to be familiar with the product already.  I'd say they'll do okay if they can just get across in ads that the Wii is fun to play with (oh God, I just realized how horrible that sentence sounds; avoid doing that Nintendo) and that it's something to get excited about.  This is the game, this is what it's about, this is why it's fun.  On the Cube it was "this exists" and the response was typically "so what?"

Something like those demo videos where people are playing it and having a good time would ideal.  I like Rick's idea of sports star endorsements.