Where's the marketing/Commercials? [Archive]

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MaximumSpider

11-08-2006, 10:17 AM

Man I've seen at least 3 PS3 commericials and the wii is launching 2 days later and haven't seen one commercial yet. To make matters worst, I've been to 4 Gamestops who have wii kiosks but they are always turned off. I was in one yesterday and these two guys in thier early 20's come in and look at the wii and say " Man is that the new ps3, it looks smaller than I thought" I informed them it was the new nintendo and they proceeded to find the ps3. I don't know if that was bad for nintendo or bad for the ps3? But I think general public still knows nothing about this thing. Nintendo's Marketing is always second tier in my opinion. And whats up with the wii's being turned off in all the Gamestops?

Shifty

11-08-2006, 10:46 AM

Outside South Park and being mentioned on holiday must have lists I don't think they've done anything. You Tube only reaches so many people. Maybe this Thursday (most watched TV night of the week) they'll start the ads.

guitarsingerguy

11-08-2006, 11:09 AM

TheGrayGhost

11-08-2006, 12:34 PM

Wii consoles are popping up everywhere, but most retailers are waiting for a Nintendo representative to load them with software. It will probably be available for play next week.

I'm not expecting too much marketing from Nintendo. It will probably rely more on word of mouth, much like, ahem, Batman Begins did.

Kipobe

11-08-2006, 02:17 PM

Do they need it? Reggie has done his job.

MaximumSpider

11-08-2006, 02:44 PM

Since two guys walked in and thought the wii was a ps3 I would say yes. But they had to be stupid because the both clearly says wii?

Kipobe

11-08-2006, 02:57 PM

Who cares.... the Wii will completely sell out in minutes between now and their third shipment. Nintendo doesn't need to worry themselves too heavily with advertisement. Reggie did a good job working the circuit to those who are "in the know".

When Wii gets ready to unleash itself to the general public with shelf copies in every store, then the advertisements can kick up a notch.

Not Jake

11-08-2006, 03:25 PM

I went into Walmart the other day (CSAD CSAD CSAD YOU GUYS) and they have Wii stuff plastered all over. Ceiling hangings, little free Wii Buyers Guides near the front door, etc. That's as good a place as any to litter with ads

Lackey

11-08-2006, 04:27 PM

Kipobe

11-08-2006, 04:36 PM

As it is, I read an article that Nintendo will be broadcasting ads on original internet programming. But does it matter? Nintendo has pimped their Wii way the hell out there on the gaming scene. Those are the only ones who matter right now. That, and moms who'll buy kids their christmas ****. Why do you think Target/Wal-Mart and all the other stores are setting up huge displays like Jake said?

Avalanche

11-08-2006, 04:36 PM

exactly. The first few shipments are going to get sold out no matter what at this point. There's no need for ads.
The same could be said for all consoles. They'll always sell out at launch because of the more hardcore fans.

Advertising creates the hype that will have those who couldn't get a console at launch wanting one until they can.

Kipobe

11-08-2006, 04:42 PM

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Who wastes money marketing a product they won't see a return on for over six months? In the business world, that's just throwing away cash.

Anyone who missed out on launch had to have wanted one on launch... and they'll STILL want one when it's publicly released.

If they didn't, but they want it on a whim and miss it at launch, that desire is less likely to be there in six months.

You're no Reggie:cmad:

Axid

11-08-2006, 04:52 PM

Reggie kicked my ass and took my name :(

Shifty

11-09-2006, 04:33 PM

Some Wii ad campaign details (Canada & US) *UPDATE*

Reggie (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=20946)spoke this morning at the Montreal International Games Summit. It sounds like his speech was pretty much the exact same format as the one he gave at IEC. The only real difference is that he discussed (in brief) some advertising campaign details for the Wii.

The “Wii would like to play with you” commercial was shown off once again. This was shown during his IEC speech, but now we have some details on what the commercial looks like. The guys from N-Philes give their explanation of the commercial…

The TV spot had two Asian men, dressed in black suits, driving a blue and white smart car in a city. They stopped and approached a typical house, with a metallic briefcase in hand, and rang the doorbell. When the family answered the door, they would bow, presenting the Wii Remote, and say, “Wii would like to play with you.” The scene would then cut to the men and family playing Wii games, such as Wii Sports, Zelda, Rayman Raving Rabbids, and Red Steel. They would then do the same to other houses and entertain other people with the Wii in similar ways. The end of the spot showed the smart car driving into the sunset with the Wii logo bowing in the sun. The spot is set to an Asian-influenced soundtrack.

As to when this will start airing on US TV, no one knows. Also discussed was a deal with Cineplex, a movie theater chain in Canada. These theaters will be showing Wii advertising spots as well, but no info was given as to what exactly they would show.

Seeing Stranger Than Fiction tomorrow, would be nice to see some Wii spots.

terry78

11-09-2006, 11:36 PM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=G3rMG4foWC8

Bam.

Shifty

11-10-2006, 12:09 AM

Loved the Triforce sign.

Excellent ad for the non-gamer and event hose who have pre-orders.

MrHateYourself

11-10-2006, 12:17 AM

Since two guys walked in and thought the wii was a ps3 I would say yes. But they had to be stupid because the both clearly says wii?

That hurts to read.....having managed a video game/DVD store, I feel your pain.

At least, I'm assuming you work at a video game place? If so, you should read www.actsofgord.com if you haven't.....should be PAINFULLY familiarly hilarious.

Shifty

11-12-2006, 08:33 PM

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHmN0wRpsctw
Nintendo to Spend $200 Million on Wii Marketing to Battle Sony

By Michael White and Jonathan Thaw

Nov. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Nintendo Co., loser of the last video- game console war, said it will spend more than $200 million to market its new Wii in a bid to wrest sales away from Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360.

The advertising campaign is the biggest ever for Kyoto-based Nintendo, which begins selling Wii in the U.S. on Nov. 19., two days after Sony releases the PlayStation. Television ads beginning tomorrow will focus on Wii's ease of use and library of family- friendly games.

Nintendo and Sony are fighting to increase their share of the $20 billion worldwide video-game market. Microsoft has a head start this round after releasing its Xbox last year. Nintendo's campaign positions it in contrast to PlayStation 3, which Sony introduced Nov. 11 in Japan stressing the machine's advanced graphics and Blu-ray DVD drive that plays movies as well as games.

``Eighteen months ago most people did not expect Nintendo to be competitive in this next generation of consoles,'' said John Broady, an analyst at GameSpot.com, a unit of Cnet Networks Entertainment that tracks video-game sales.

Nintendo and Microsoft are getting some help from Tokyo-based Sony's difficulties. Sony in September said it would delay the PlayStation 3's debut in Europe until March because of parts shortages for the Blu-ray drive that have slowed production.

In Tokyo, demand for the new PlayStation outstripped supply store because Sony limited initial deliveries in Japan to 100,000. The company last month cut the machine's price to 49,980 yen ($425) from 59,800 yen after complaints from gamers.

Price Difference

At $250, the Wii also will appeal to price-conscious buyers. Sony's PlayStation 3 is aimed at serious game players, selling for $500 to $600. Xbox sells for $300 to $400.

Nintendo probably will sell about 1.5 million Wii consoles in the U.S. through the end of this year, according to Jeetil Patel, an analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities in San Francisco. He forecasts about 500,000 U.S. sales of PlayStation 3. Microsoft probably will sell 2.28 million Xbox 360s in November and December, he said.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft has sold more than 6 million Xbox's since its launch and estimates that will climb to 10 million by June 30.

``They're severely constrained,'' Van Baker, an analyst at market researcher Gartner Inc., said in an interview. ``The chance of getting a PS3 this holiday is pretty much non-existent.''

Targeting Adults

About 80 percent of advertising for Wii will target adults in an attempt to expand the video-game market beyond children and teens that have been Nintendo's traditional market, said George Harrison, the company's senior vice president for marketing. Nintendo will spend the $200 million during the next 12 months.

Nintendo adopted the strategy after its GameCube console lost the competition with Sony's PlayStation 2 five years ago.

Both companies plan rollouts for their new consoles that include midnight sales parties at retailers in cities including New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

The advertising campaign is Nintendo's most expensive, costing about 20 percent more than the rollout of GameCube in 2001, Harrison said. Nintendo came out the loser in the battle between GameCube and PlayStation 2, an experience that convinced the company to avoid trying to challenge Sony and Microsoft for the hard-core audience in the current console war, Harrison said.

GameCube

By the end of this year, Nintendo will have sold about 11.7 million GameCubes in the U.S., compared with 35.6 million units of PlayStation 2, according to Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles. Pachter anticipates Nintendo will sell about 2 million Wii consoles by year end.

``GameCube didn't meet out expectations,'' Harrison said in an interview. ``There were lessons in there for us that led us to the Wii. The first lesson was that just trying to be like the others in the marketplace wasn't the answer.''

Pachter estimates Sony will sell about 1.5 million PlayStation 3s.

Television ads, which begin running Wednesday, will include a two-minute ``documentary'' that features grandparents and parents playing with their children.

The television ads will be the first broad-based advertising Nintendo has done. The company started pushing the console over the summer with a campaign that included parties in which consumers were asked to invite friends to their homes to play the console.

Among those asked was Bill Weatherford, who invited relatives to play in his home in Tonganoxie, Kansas. Weatherford, who had purchased an Xbox 360 weeks earlier, said he probably will buy a Wii to play with his wife and 3-year-old son.

``It had a lot more family friendly games, sports games that actually had some physical activities,'' Weatherford said in an interview. ``I just felt like you were more involved, doing more together.''

Wii features a wireless controller that enables players to control a game by waving their hands. The controller can be used as a baseball bat, tennis racquet or sword for action games.

To contact the reporter on this story: Michael White in Los Angeles at Mwhite8@bloomberg.net ; Jonathan Thaw in San Francisco at jthaw@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: November 12, 2006 18:22 EST

JustABill

11-12-2006, 08:43 PM

Wow. Go Nintendo. :up:

Shifty

11-12-2006, 08:57 PM

Wow. Go Nintendo. :up:

Advertising will be paid by 1 million Wii Point Cards. :wow:

Zenien

11-12-2006, 09:14 PM

So where's the marketting all those dollars are paying for. :p

Axid

11-12-2006, 09:28 PM

2 days from now :confused:

Shifty

11-12-2006, 09:31 PM

So where's the marketting all those dollars are paying for. :p

:whatever:

Starts tomorrow; spread over 12 months. Reading helps.

MrHateYourself

11-12-2006, 11:28 PM

Much as I loathe the deceptive nature of it's advertising, I gotta hand it to the big N for really going all out on this thing. They've made some incredibly effective decisions-perhaps none better than launching after the PS3.

MrHateYourself

11-12-2006, 11:29 PM

...

MrHateYourself

11-12-2006, 11:32 PM

Holy hell. How does one click do that!?

Shifty

11-13-2006, 01:03 PM

Wii!
Wii marketing blitz - the rundown (http://gonintendo.com/)
November 13th, 2006

A different kind of video game system demands a different kind of marketing effort. That’s why Nintendo is moving to unprecedented lengths to let people see, feel and experience the unparalleled new Wii™ system, created to be easily used by anyone. Nintendo’s multimillion-dollar marketing campaign spotlights that Wii is the only new video game system every member of a household can enjoy.

Gaming for the masses is seen in every element of the marketing campaign, from an online social-networking community and sampling events in average people’s homes to urban “gaming” hours, retail midnight madness events, a multi-city music tour and extended hands-on opportunities in malls nationwide. Across the country, men and women, young and old, experienced and not, are getting their hands on Wii and helping usher in a new generation of video gamers.

Already Nintendo’s viral efforts have paid off. In a 24-hour period in early November, Wii served as the centerpiece of a multipart South Park episode, appeared on the front page of The Wall Street Journal, made People magazine’s Style Watch gift guide issue, was featured in an NPR report about hot holiday gifts and had a BusinessWeek feature note: “industry execs and analysts are already calling a winner: Nintendo’s Wii.” And all of this before the system has even launched.

“Our plan to market Wii broadly with hands-on experiences continues to pay off,” says George Harrison, Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “Wii introduces new ways to play to expand both the appeal of games and the audience of gamers, and our marketing campaign is central to that.”

Hands-on Sampling

* Wii Ambassador Program: The yearlong initiative identified ambassadors in markets throughout the country. These ambassadors are of three categories: multigenerational families, hard-core gamers and modern moms. During the initial phase, Nintendo hosted events for each ambassador and 30 of his or her closest friends and relatives. The events offered an opportunity for everyday people from all walks of life to play Wii for the first time and share their experiences with others.
* Wii Mall Experience: Starting Nov. 15, Nintendo will set up six interactive Wii kiosks for a two-month period in 25 Westfield shopping centers across the country. Trained representatives will show visitors new ways to play. For a complete list of the participating malls, visit wii.nintendo.com.
* Nintendo Fusion Tour: The annual showcase for music and video games visits cities across the country through Nov. 11. In addition to live music from headliner Hawthorne Heights and four other up-and-coming bands, concert attendees get to enjoy some hands-on time with Wii.
* Blender: Nintendo Fusion Tour headliner Hawthorne Heights shows off their slick Wii moves and talk about some of the upcoming games for Wii in the December issue.
* Urban Gaming Hours: Through Nov. 17, Nintendo is hosting a gaming take on “happy hour” at gatherings for urban influencers in fashion, music and media, such as Vice magazine and Def Jam Records. The on-site events let participants experience Wii with their colleagues.
* RISE: The December issue of this sports and lifestyle magazine for teens will feature thoughts from top teen athletes about their experiences sampling the Wii console.

Feeding the Buzz

* How Wii Play: Wii’s MySpace page at www.MySpace.com/howwiiplay has attracted nearly 1 million page views from more than 200,000 unique visitors, largely by word-of-mouth. Members have created their own Wii videos and posted thousands of messages in the robust forums.
* Midnight Madness: Countdown events at Toys “R” Us in New York’s Times Square and at GameStop at Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles will turn the last few hours before the launch of Wii into an entertainment frenzy. Nintendo fans of all stripes will line up to be the first to purchase the console at the stroke of midnight as they are entertained by acrobats, music, pyrotechnics, Wii interactives on Segway scooters and a general party atmosphere.

Brand Partnerships

* 7-Eleven: 7-Eleven is giving away 711 Wii consoles. Codes are printed on the sides of special Nintendo-branded Slurpee cups. Through Jan. 31, people go online to enter their codes to see if they have won. 7-Eleven also will introduce a new limited-time-only Nintendo-themed Slurpee flavor: StrawberrWii Banana. Print ads will run in Blender, Electronic Gaming Monthly and DC Comics. Print ads will also run in USA Today and The Onion. In addition, online banner ads will appear on Google, GameZone, IGN, Rotten Tomatoes and GameSpot.
* Pringles Snack Stacks: Pringles.com is giving away 100 Wii consoles. The program is supported by 7 million Wii-themed Pringles Snack Stacks packages and an additional 2 million Wii-themed Pringles canisters on display at Wal-Mart stores for the first three weeks of December. The sweepstakes runs now through April 16.
* Comedy Central: The comedy cable network will give away a Wii every hour Thursday through Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. Wii will be featured in a series of vignettes spoofing reality TV shows. At the end of the weekend, the grand prize will be a Wii console and a Scion tricked out to look like a Wii.

As Seen on TV

* Wii Would Like to Play: Wii’s central ad campaign follows two friendly Japanese men who bring Wii to people’s homes to demonstrate how easy and fun it is for everyone to play. Stephen Gaghan, who wrote the screenplay for and directed Syriana and won a best screenplay Oscar for writing Traffic, directed the four spots. The director of photography is John Seale, who won an Oscar for best cinematography on The English Patient and was nominated for Oscars for Rain Man, Cold Mountain and Witness. The spots begin airing the week of Nov. 13.
* Nick @ Nite: Wii will be featured on the Nov. 24 Nick@Nite episode of Road Crew. The spots feature a family from Long Island that finally finds something they can all enjoy together - playing Wii.
* Nickelodeon: A Wii ad begins Nov. 20. The 60-second spot shows a dad mistaking the Wii Remote for his television remote control. Dad becomes immersed in the fun, and soon the whole family joins in.
* TeleFutura: Nintendo will be at November auditions in New York for the highly successful international singing competition show Objetivo Fama (Objective: Fame) to allow contestants to sample the Wii console and calm their pre-audition jitters.
* Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Discovery Kids Network: A feature scheduled to air in December showcases kids, parents and teachers sampling Wii at a school event and sharing their experiences.

GamesPress

Darkdd

11-13-2006, 05:27 PM

^Oy.

Tyrinus

11-13-2006, 08:52 PM

Saw this weeks Best Buy flier. First three pages are PS3, 4th page is XBOX360, no mention of Wii anywhere.

terry78

11-13-2006, 09:03 PM

Saw this weeks Best Buy flier. First three pages are PS3, 4th page is XBOX360, no mention of Wii anywhere.
The PS3 comes out this week, so they're basically playing it up as much as possible. I saw the same flier.

Tyrinus

11-13-2006, 09:46 PM

Oh that's right, the Wii comes out next week. I was thinking they came out on the same week.

iambilly81

11-14-2006, 06:10 PM

yeah, look for a huge spread in the bestbuy add for wii stuff

and ive also seen some wii game commericals, got to see a red steel one last night while watchin adult swim, pritty cool.

Shifty

11-14-2006, 06:58 PM

Wii Commercial Airs Tonight
The first in a four-part series hits during Dancing with the Stars.
by Micah Seff

November 14, 2006 - Nintendo fans across North America have been wondering just what the Big N is up to when it comes to traditional television advertising for the Wii. While there have been plenty of viral marketing efforts on Nintendo's part, the Wii is less than a week away and there are still no television advertisements to be found.

All of that will change tonight when the first in a series of four 30-second commercials will air during the performance finals of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. The ads feature two Japanese men who visit homes across America and declare: "Wii would like to play." The ads make great pains to highlight the motion-sensitive capabilities of the Wii Remote.

"The fact that we have people all but begging to see Wii commercials demonstrates the huge amount of interest in our new system," says George Harrison, senior vice president of NOA.

The commercials will also be posted on Nintendo.com and Youtube.com. Viewers can see all four of them together as a two-minute film on MTV2's Sucker Free on November 15. In an effort to further the goal of bringing the Wii to the non-gaming masses, ads will air on ABC, NBC, Comedy Central, BET, USA, TBS, Discovery, Animal Planet, ABC Family, Nick at Nite, Sci-Fi, TLC, Fox, The CW, MTV 10 Spot, MTV, MTV2, MTVU, Adult Swim, Fuse, Si TV, The N, VH-1,and Black Family Channel.

Prior to this, Nintendo had focused on viral marketing efforts such as the Nintendo Fusion Tour and the Wii Ambassador Program designed to give people hands-on play time with the console. Even as the traditional marketing campaign kicks into gear, hands-on events such as these will continue into 2007.http://wii.ign.com/articles/745/745893p1.html

JustABill

11-14-2006, 08:39 PM

I saw the ad on Dancing with the Stars and the Red Steel ad on Adult Swim. My mom remarked that the Wii didn't look ''fun". :(

iambilly81

11-14-2006, 10:26 PM

I saw the ad on Dancing with the Stars and the Red Steel ad on Adult Swim. My mom remarked that the Wii didn't look ''fun". :(

thats one thing i cant wait to see, my folks playin it, let them try and see how they like it.

jaydawg

11-15-2006, 01:45 AM

Just saw two wii commercials.... and both were for M:UA. Go figure.

Lackey

11-15-2006, 04:48 PM

I saw the ad on Dancing with the Stars and the Red Steel ad on Adult Swim. My mom remarked that the Wii didn't look ''fun". :(

Then you know what you have to do... kill your mother. It's the only way. :csad:

Lackey

11-15-2006, 04:50 PM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CkS2DJ6VX_g

Shifty

11-15-2006, 09:27 PM

Then you know what you have to do... kill your mother. It's the only way. :csad:

After she buys him any Wii stuff.

Shifty

11-15-2006, 09:46 PM

Al Roker plays Wii Sports
http://gonintendo.com/?p=8637#comments
:rolleyes:
Shouldn't they play this prior to going on live?

Tyrinus

11-15-2006, 09:47 PM

Had a guy call at work this morning asking when Wii would be available...thing is I work at an aquarium store. He had the wrong number.

terry78

11-15-2006, 09:54 PM

Had a guy call at work this morning asking when Wii would be available...thing is I work at an aquarium store. He had the wrong number.
You should have asked how much was he willing to pay?