Topic: Nintendo's Marketing

I'm sure I'm not the only one who disagrees with Nintendo's current marketing tactics. You know what I mean, show a celebrity talking about or playing a game, instead of actually showing game-footage and giving information. Apparently, just seeing the Redknapp's play Wii, is reason enough to want one.

Also, did you know that Girls Aloud really like the DS. That MUST mean it's cool.

Now if you think that's bad, how do feel about Nintendo giving Ant n' Dec £1million each to advertise the Wii.

Do you feel this is the right way to go? Do other countries see the same strategies being used by Nintendo? Do you question it's logic and effectiveness as much as I?

They're just trying to shift as many consoles as possible and, though we may not understand the appeal of seeing Harry Redknapp play Mario Kart (although I did think it was funny), celebrity endorsements are what works when trying to appeal to vast numbers of the population.

They are trying to expand their audiences. Not everyone is a gamer and some people actually like to see celebrity endorsements. Besides, if you want gameplay footage, just look up the game somewhere and I'm sure you'll find it

Yes, obviously. But I thought Nintendo were trying to recapture the 'core' gamers as they call them. Stuff like this, scares them off.

Not really. Do core gamers really watch commercials or do they come to websites like this one and look stuff up constantly?

So it doesn't concern any of you then. OK, well me n The Fonz are gonna go sit quietly in the corner and discuss how uncool it all is.

EDIT:@VGP: I think Nintendo have 'expanded' their audience enough thanks. Have you not noticed the store shelves are filled with shovelware and pony games.

I think you are all missing the point to be honest. Why not make some creative adverts instead of just throwing money at 'celebrities'. Honestly now, which would you prefer?

I don't know about you people, but this was exactly the scene at my house last night. Except I was in the middle. And there was less clothing involved.

BRB, gonna go buy another Wii and DS.

As a gamer, I'd prefer the adverts but not everyone is a gamer. I think that they should do both.

It creeps me out as hell, but I'm still fine with it. If it's selling more consoles and keeping Nintendo alive with money to make games with, I'm fine with it. Advertising has no effect on me anyway.

And Machu, shovelware games have been around forever, and it shouldn't bother you if you ignore them. I don't see why it's a problem for everybody.

Nintendo has horrible commercials, but the commercial that pisses me off the most is the Mario & Luigi:Bowser's Inside Story commercial. It's a bunch of kids talking about the game...and they PROUNOUCED MARIO'S NAME MARY-O!! That shows that Nintendo has lost their touch in comercials.

As for the celebrity advertising, I can tell you why Nintendo does that. Many adults and kids are fans of certain celebrities for some reason. Nintendo's reasoning is that if the Wii and Nintendo DS is advertise with celebrities, people will think the Wii and Nintendo DS is cool because a celebrity is playing it, and then that person will buy a Wii or Nintendo DS.

Of course, the core gamers won't fall for that, the core gamers do not need a celebrity advertising to help decide to purchase a video game system or video game. But Nintendo assumes that we core gamers do not need advertising. Nintendo cares about appealing to casual gamers, but Nintendo does not care about making advertisements or commercials for core gamers.

lz2009: That's all I was asking. Is THIS really the best marketing strategy possible? I really don't think it is. The fact that Nintendo are now eager to get players on wfc, having (I imagine) noticed a large difference in the amount of Wii's bought and the amount of those going online (they need them usage stats after all), shows how many 'casuals' they have attracted. We, as gamers, don't want more casuals about as that means more crudware for our lovely console. Look at Dirt2, they snuck it out in the hope people will pick it up, and they probably will, the brand will sell what is a half arsed port, to those who don't know better.

And considering they just increased the price of the Wii, I DO NOT want to see them throw millions at so called shelebrities. Ug!

EDIT: @Big A2: The shovelware levels are MUCH higher than with 64 & GC. Wii shovelware levels are getting close to PS2 proportions, which is huuge!

Nintendo's advertising plan works. Simple as that. The Wii and DS are depicted as accessable, enjoyable and easy to get to grips with machines. What better to advertise it than showing this in demonstration with these celebrities. I think their marketing is a stroke of genius; do the hardcore really care that it doesn't make them salivate? Only a select few, I reckon.

Ok, I see what you are saying, but whilst it might help them sell units I fear it alienates YET MORE oldschool gamers who used to see Nintendo as 'the place to go'. And yes, I hate Ant & Dec.

I think this argument is muddled with numerous arguments that don't have anything to do with the adverts, namely the shovelware issue. I could care less about the adverts. In fact, my mom only got Prof. Layton because it had one of the friends cast members playing it and she loved it and that's a really good game. So, they do work for some extent. I have zero issue with them expanding audiences, it makes the company money and that's what the business is for, making money. BTW, if you have an issue looking 'mind you not listening' to Girls Aloud, then, well, you might want to put the game down and discover girls.

Anyways, onto the shovelware topic. 1. Nintendo themselves does not produce shovelware. That is on the third parties and does it bother me? Nope, because core games DO NOT SELL ON THE WII. So, what you want is for 3rd parties to stop doing what makes them money and create games that don't sell or make money on the Wii? Please make sense of this for me.

Also, the shovelware has never prevented me from finding the games on the Wii I want. Never have I been like, man, I'd really like to find MadWorld! but it's been taken over by pony games! It hasn't, it's right there under 'M' where it belongs. People make too big an issue of the shovelware and I tend to believe 1 of 2 things.

1. Those that complain about shovelware look upon past generations with rose colored glasses. The original Nintendo, Genesis, SNES, 64, PS1, PS2, etc all had an insane amount of shovelware. That's fact, not the grand and golden portrayal that is in most gamers heads that only greatness was released on these systems.

2. They're not nearly old enough to recall number 1.

In the end, this whole shovelware argument is nuts because it's an issue you can avoid. If what gets you hot in life is shovelware, then congrats, you lead the most laid back life ever with zero problems OR you're WAY too high strung.

I guarantee, in two generations, no one will talk about the shovelware on the Wii. All that will get talked about, like in every past generation, are the great games.

^^ golf clap in your general direction

OK, so maybe I went a bit orlick on it, I'll admit that. But maybe I'm tired of seeing these adverts, maybe I don't want the prime-time crowd to buy a Wii. My perspective has been skewed by my desire for less shovelware and more awesomeware. Maybe I just want them to advertise to me for a change. And JBitties, I get hot under the collar about a lot of things! Today, it was advertising.

But please, feel free to discuss the pro's and con's of Nintendo's current marketing strategy.

Machu says to friend "Woah, that Cursed Mountain looks sweet huh?"

friend replies "I saw the advert for that"

No, Klonoa didn't sell because it was a bad business idea to remake it. It never sold on the PS2 so why anyone would think it would sell on the Wii is beyond me. Listen, I love Tomba, but I'm not delusional to its sales, and I don't think it'd do better if it was remade on the wii.

Machu, I get hot about a lot of things too I just think the shovelware issue is a case of rose colored glasses we all have to a certain extent for pass generations.

Plus, I don't have any real issues with how they market and I think Nintendo does a great job advertising. I thought Sega did a could job with The Conduit (unfortunetly, I don't think it helped in sales) but I do think Ubisoft could do a MUCH better job. There's no reason they can't be putting together good/creative/fun adverts for No More Heroes etc...

Listen, when it comes to promotion, Nintendo doesn't and probably won't spend money on third parties to advertise their games...it's not Nintendo's job, it's capcom's, Konami's, Ubisoft's, Sega's, etc job. I'm sure like most nintendo games, we'll see adverts for Galaxy 2, Metroid, NSMB Wii, etc but will we ever see adverts for NMH 2 next year? I doubt it and again, can't blame Nintendo, that's Ubisoft's money to spend.

Don't forget their 'promotion' to connect all Wiis to the internet, really smart.