US Wii campaign kicks off with HUGE Times Square Ad
SPOnG polls the slightly befuddled New York public
"Nintendo is Kleenex" - Erm...
Check this out! Toys R Us and Nintendo of America have erected this immense three storey high Wii advert across the toy retailer’s flagship Times Square store this week.
Aside from questions of what this must have cost (and who picked up the tab) SPOnG was intrigued to know what regular New Yorkers thought of the ad. As gamers we are clearly all aware what Wii is and what the father and daughter are holding in their hands on the ad.
But what about the non-gaming/casual market that Nintendo is gunning for with Wii? The lapsed, the ladies and the elderly?
SPOnG asked our man in Manhattan to get out there on the street to poll a select band of passers-by.
Here’s what they had to say:
“What's a "why"?” (Meredith, 28)
“It should have a Nintendo logo on there, Nintendo is like Kleenex.” (Chris, 29)
“It just looks like they both have remotes.” (Derek, 24)
“It looks like the guy from land of the lost and his daughter... Is it something to do with wifi?” (John, 35)
“I dunno, is it a new TV or something?” (Chet, 34)
“Why do they have two remotes?" (Ali, 27)
So there we go. While our street-level straw poll is admittedly limited to a narrow demographic of twenty and thirty-somethings, it is still clear that the non-gaming public needs a little bit more educating on what a Wii actually IS.
What do YOU think of the ad? Do you think it does its job? Or is it, as the non-gaming public we polled above suggest, perhaps too clever for its own good?
Let us know in the forums.
Aside from questions of what this must have cost (and who picked up the tab) SPOnG was intrigued to know what regular New Yorkers thought of the ad. As gamers we are clearly all aware what Wii is and what the father and daughter are holding in their hands on the ad.
But what about the non-gaming/casual market that Nintendo is gunning for with Wii? The lapsed, the ladies and the elderly?
SPOnG asked our man in Manhattan to get out there on the street to poll a select band of passers-by.
Here’s what they had to say:
“What's a "why"?” (Meredith, 28)
“It should have a Nintendo logo on there, Nintendo is like Kleenex.” (Chris, 29)
“It just looks like they both have remotes.” (Derek, 24)
“It looks like the guy from land of the lost and his daughter... Is it something to do with wifi?” (John, 35)
“I dunno, is it a new TV or something?” (Chet, 34)
“Why do they have two remotes?" (Ali, 27)
So there we go. While our street-level straw poll is admittedly limited to a narrow demographic of twenty and thirty-somethings, it is still clear that the non-gaming public needs a little bit more educating on what a Wii actually IS.
What do YOU think of the ad? Do you think it does its job? Or is it, as the non-gaming public we polled above suggest, perhaps too clever for its own good?
Let us know in the forums.
Companies:
Nintendo
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Comments
RiseFromYourGrave 25 Oct 2006 18:40
1/6
its plain, but fine and dandy for reminding people already aware of its presence of the existance and family orientation of the console
but its crap for anyone thats never heard of the wii, because it doesnt show what it is or who makes it. nor does it look particularly interesting enough to warrant an enquiry into what it is by people still unaware of the wii
overall pretty s**t, its not going to be doing much for the people who nintendo are hoping to bring into the fold
but its crap for anyone thats never heard of the wii, because it doesnt show what it is or who makes it. nor does it look particularly interesting enough to warrant an enquiry into what it is by people still unaware of the wii
overall pretty s**t, its not going to be doing much for the people who nintendo are hoping to bring into the fold
Ditto 25 Oct 2006 21:10
2/6
Yeah, s**t, I agree.
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dr_faulk 26 Oct 2006 11:17
3/6
Well, it has people asking questions... I mean, if I saw an ad for something and couldn't figure out what it was, I'd probably go out of my way to find out. I think it's cool that two people asked why both people in the picture were holding two controllers. Like they think they're t.v. controllers. Which means that they're really thinking mainstream, they're thinking t.v. they're thinking easily accessible... And they have little question mark deep in the back of their head, it's like a little red flag. And next time they see the Wii, maybe a demo booth, maybe and ad, and they think 'Oh, that's that Wii thing I saw earlier, what is that?' And now they're more curious and they want to find out. And when they do, the first thing, I think, they get fed is 'Oh, it's a Nintendo with a t.v. remote.' And that other guy has a point, Nintendo is like Kleenex, so they automatically know it's Nintendo, they know it's about good games, games they know of, and now the t.v. controller says everything about something new, something easy, and something that'll sit right under your t.v.
At least, that's what I *think* the ads trying to get across. But what do I know about advertising? I'm trying to write a thesis in high-energy gamma-ray astronomy. =(
At least, that's what I *think* the ads trying to get across. But what do I know about advertising? I'm trying to write a thesis in high-energy gamma-ray astronomy. =(
soanso 26 Oct 2006 11:49
4/6
It should say Nintendo on there. Or else suddenly lots of people are likely to turn up at Apple's stor asking what that tv remote thingy is.
Everyone knows nintendo = Games
I know for too long it's seemed Nintendo = Kiddie Games
But they shouldn't be afraid of that in itself. that isn't a bad thing.
Everyone knows nintendo = Games
I know for too long it's seemed Nintendo = Kiddie Games
But they shouldn't be afraid of that in itself. that isn't a bad thing.
crs117 26 Oct 2006 16:13
5/6
This add is doing exactly what nintendo wanted it to do. It is basically blasting the Wii name into everybody that walks through times sqaure's brains. Do most people that see it know what it is??? Heck No!!! But they know that it must be something big and it sure as heck seems interesting.
We all know that nintendo is about to drop a huge sum of money on TV add's for this new system and once those folks in time square see the add for the Wii it will all make sense.
This type of advertising is actually quite cool. You know the product by name before you even know what the product is. How many times have you seen a commercial...been entertained...then forgot what the add was trying to sell. Not the case with this.
Good job Nintendo
We all know that nintendo is about to drop a huge sum of money on TV add's for this new system and once those folks in time square see the add for the Wii it will all make sense.
This type of advertising is actually quite cool. You know the product by name before you even know what the product is. How many times have you seen a commercial...been entertained...then forgot what the add was trying to sell. Not the case with this.
Good job Nintendo
vault 13 27 Oct 2006 03:02
6/6
Your "NY man on the street" was Lupos right? He's from Jersey! Vault here is the true New Yorker. I am both saddened and appaled.