Support NeoGAF

[Nightbird]

The ad is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Pokemon, it's a milestone and the tagline 'Train On' is to indicate that the brand is still strong and will continue into the future, its not here to sell you on anything. Seems like that was lost on a few people.

It's also stupid to try to advertise Pokémon Go with it.

The App is nowhere near release, and with all the other commercials also being around, the consumers attention span won't last long enough for him to check in a few months again if the game finally released.

Keep the Pokémon Go adverts for when it's actually about to release

 

[The Lamp]

The ad is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Pokemon, it's a milestone and the tagline 'Train On' is to indicate that the brand is still strong and will continue into the future, its not here to sell you on anything. Seems like that was lost on a few people.

It just feels random and out of place when there aren't any mainline Pokemon games announced this year.

 

[MisterHero]

Magneton!!

Wipe him out with ZAP CANNON!!

 

[Hatchtag]

It's also stupid to try to advertise Pokémon Go with it.

The App is nowhere near release, and with all the other commercials also being around, the consumers attention span won't last long enough for him to check in a few months again if the game finally released.

Keep the Pokémon Go adverts for when it's actually about to release

Is it though? Putting Pokemon into consumer's heads a while before release isn't a terrible idea.

It just feels random and out of place when there aren't any mainline Pokemon games announced this year.

There's almost certainly one coming, the amount of Z hinting has been huge. I'm surprised a dev or something hasn't accidentally mentioned the game, not realizing it hasn't been announced.

 

[God Dayumm]

WOW WOW WOW

Pokemon MMO 2016 debuting on the NX!!@!

 

[Firestorm]

I get what they're doing. I just think the agency did a poor job of it. Coca Cola's America is Beautiful commercial last year was really well done. I loved it and I'm not even American: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUGDQo2Pb6g

I think having the kids actually speak their native languages rather than accented English (outside of the Japanese guy) might have helped with showing the global phenomenon of Pokemon. Something that makes me think more about "Train On" would have helped too. The Street Fighter V Rise Up teaser for example was great too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhuGnWevSAg

 

[knkng]

Jesus Christ video game fans are some of the most miserable fucking people.

This one time I saw a commercial with polar bears drinking Coke! Like, what's the deal? Is this a commercial for bears? There wasn't even a new flavor revealed! Stop wasting my time Coca-Cola, and show me a commercial with humans in it. God!

 

[Nightbird]

Is it though? Putting Pokemon into consumer's heads a while before release isn't a terrible idea.

Putting a brand back in their heads is not a bad idea. Trying to put a specific product into their heads, months before they can actually get their hands on it, and all of this while they are under fire of ads of other products is probably a bad idea, because this product (Pokémon Go) will likely be overshadowed by the things the customer can get right now.

I'd say that if Pokémon Go was stated for release next month, an super bowl ad would have made a lot of sense. For anything beyond that TPCi would have to make another spot just to remind people, and that'll makes the Super Bowl ad kinda redundant.

 

[Kinsei]

That was pretty bad. Where was the gen 2, 3, and 5 representation? If you're going to celebrate the series celebrate all of the main games.

The ad is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Pokemon, it's a milestone and the tagline 'Train On' is to indicate that the brand is still strong and will continue into the future, its not here to sell you on anything. Seems like that was lost on a few people.

Considering they're ignoring 3 of the six generations I'd say it fails at being a celebration of 20 years of Pokemon.

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

WOW WOW WOW

Pokemon MMO 2016 debuting on the NX!!@!

I hope to god this never happens.

 

[Firestorm]

I hope to god this never happens.

Same. Would prefer it on PC.

 

[GabeTheGrouch76]

Personally I found it kinda interesting but I can definitely see where people who don't like it are coming from. Aside from the subtle / more obvious clues throughout the ad (which to production company's credit I think is rather clever), nothing about it really stands out as "Pokemon" up until the end. Not that it's bad in itself, it's just that such an approach could had been done better.

I'd also hesitate to call the CG Pokemon near the end outright bad in terms of the actual CG looking poor. I think the problem is that aren't integrated into the live-action footage well enough, and they're come off as incredibly conspicuous/fake as a result. If the entire ad was CG, I don't think the Pokemon would had felt so out of place there as they do here.

 

[DannyDanger]

that did nothing for me....

 

[Exterminieren]

It just feels random and out of place when there aren't any mainline Pokemon games announced this year.

Pokémon Z could be coming out next month and they still wouldn't make a Super Bowl ad for it. The Super Bowl audience is not, by and large, champing at the bit for a third version of Gen VI.

 

[JazzmanZ]

Jesus Christ video game fans are some of the most miserable fucking people.

This one time I saw a commercial with polar bears drinking Coke! Like, what's the deal? Is this a commercial for bears? There wasn't even a new flavor revealed! Stop wasting my time Coca-Cola, and show me a commercial with humans in it. God!

Finally, someone understands me

 

[Azuran]

It just feels random and out of place when there aren't any mainline Pokemon games announced this year.

If someone hasn't bought XY by now, then I'm sure a Z ad wouldn't make them change their mind.

Ads don't have to advertise a product to be effective.

 

[Hot Coldman]

oh cool, they're doing 4v4 battles now

 

[BodiesWithoutOrgans]

Super Bowl commercials typically don't promote products, but the brands

I didn't know that

 

[Nightbird]

Jesus Christ video game fans are some of the most miserable fucking people.

This one time I saw a commercial with polar bears drinking Coke! Like, what's the deal? Is this a commercial for bears? There wasn't even a new flavor revealed! Stop wasting my time Coca-Cola, and show me a commercial with humans in it. God!

Pokémon Z could be coming out next month and they still wouldn't make a Super Bowl ad for it. The Super Bowl audience is not, by and large, champing at the bit for a third version of Gen VI.

If someone hasn't bought XY by now, then I'm sure a Z ad wouldn't make them change their mind.

Ads don't have to advertise a product to be effective.

Those three got it.

The whole point of the #Pokemon20 campaign is to raise brand awareness, not to advertise games they themselves don't know when they are going to it yet.
Games will be used for that, but advertising the games is not the goal here.

 

[MisterHero]

I hope to god this never happens.

Well Pokémon Go depends on your geographical location and won't have the depth of the main games

yeah that's so much better

 

[foxuzamaki]

So it's just a generic 20th Anniversary commercial. Not bad, but I was hoping for some kind of reveal.

That's anything but generic

 

[breadtruck]

Hmm.

I didnt like this at all. Barely anything about Pokemon until the very end... who cares about chess and football in a Pokemon commercial?

I dont know, this would have been more exciting if the ending was elaborated on for the entire commercial (the stadium battle, and the next-generation watching)

 

[Azuran]

oh cool, they're doing 4v4 battles now

Small preview to the way Ash is going to lose the Kalos league. I only saw the guy in the trailer throw one pokeball so it has to be 4v1

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

Same. Would prefer it on PC.

I would prefer it not happen at all.

MMOs are pretty much universally terrible and Pokemon wouldn't fare any better.

 

[BodiesWithoutOrgans]

Small preview to the way Ash is going to lose the Kalos league. I only saw the guy in the trailer throw one pokeball so it has to be 4v1

pikachu level 9999 still lost to Snivy level 5 and a new trainer lol

Still love the anime though

 

[Cday]

That wasn't even a commercial for anything. Just Pokemon in general. Pretty lame too.

 

[Thorakai]

I get what they're doing. I just think the agency did a poor job of it. Coca Cola's America is Beautiful commercial last year was really well done. I loved it and I'm not even American: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUGDQo2Pb6g

everybody is a little American

that is the beauty of America /eagletear

 

[SuperOrez]

I like it. Makes wanna go back and make a new competitive team.

 

[Senketsu]

I'm a fan of Pokemon since gen 1 and this is cringe worthy.

 

[Etemon]

I want that chess set.

Same!

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Seems like a waste of money. Don't see who this commercial is going to appeal to

Fathers wanting to get their children into Pokemon.

 

[The Lamp]

If someone hasn't bought XY by now, then I'm sure a Z ad wouldn't make them change their mind.

Ads don't have to advertise a product to be effective.

They at least have to advertise a brand that sells products....but Pokemon has been kind of quiet recently. Not a very bombastic 20th celebration yet.

I wonder if they will announce a new mainline Pokemon (no I don't care about Z)

 

[DirgeExtinction]

Disappointing ad. Remove the last 30 seconds, and it can be an ad for nearly anything.

Btw, was the

Spoiler

football's team logo Team Magma?

 

[Gillian Seed]

Is this a gatorade commercial

Lol Exaxtly what I was thinking!

 

[RobotHaus]

I loved it. It got me pumped, the type of feeling that I got when I first started playing the games. I wanted to be the best, keep working at it, that type of stuff.

I think it will work really well with a general audience, it's targeting a universal feeling of "I see something greater than me, but I will be greater that it". It's good, plus it totally fits the nature of the event it's being shown in.

Like others have said too in this thread, it's not directed towards the gaming community, but it's going for a world audience. In a way it's helping to cement the idea of Pokémon as an important cultural influence, similar to Mickey Mouse or Hello Kitty, albeit not nearly as popular or having the same amount of history.

Also, I'm not sure why so many people are confused by the Indian kid speaking English. You do know the British Empire occupied India for close to a century, right? English is one of the major languages in the country.

 

[Forkball]

GAF's perfect Pokemon 20 commercial: black screen with scrolling white text listing every upcoming piece of Pokemon merchandise in chronological order. It ends with a link to download a Pokemon MMO exclusive to PS4.

 

[Gaspard]

Disappointing ad. Remove the last 30 seconds, and it can be an ad for nearly anything.

Btw, was the

Spoiler

football's team logo Team Magma?

Volcano Badge

 

[Boss Doggie]

GAF's perfect Pokemon 20 commercial: black screen with scrolling white text listing every upcoming piece of Pokemon merchandise in chronological order. It ends with a link to download a Pokemon MMO exclusive to PS4.

said merchandise being Japan only

 

[SegaShack]

It felt like any other generic Super Bowl Ad to me. So even though I don't like it I suppose they got the effect they were going for with it. I think it is meant to trick people and the Pokemon at the end will be a surprise to people watching it.

This commercial is not to get hardcore fans excited again, it's for the general public.

Also 5 million isn't that much for The Pokemon Company.

 

[MisterHero]

I loved it. It got me pumped, the type of feeling that I got when I first started playing the games. I wanted to be the best, keep working at it, that type of stuff.

I think it will work really well with a general audience, it's targeting a universal feeling of "I see something greater than me, but I will be greater that it". It's good, plus it totally fits the nature of the event it's being shown in.

Like others have said too in this thread, it's not directed towards the gaming community, but it's going for a world audience. In a way it's helping to cement the idea of Pokémon as an important cultural influence, similar to Mickey Mouse or Hello Kitty, albeit not nearly as popular or having the same amount of history.

Also, I'm not sure why so many people are confused by the Indian kid speaking English. You do know the British Empire occupied India for close to a century, right? English is one of the major languages in the country.

I'm not sure about that

By 1998, the Pokemon franchise was worth $4 billion in Japan. [4] By 1999, Pokemon was generating revenues of nearly ¥400 billion ($3.28 billion) annually. [1] By 2002, the franchise was worth ¥1 trillion ($9.69 billion), including ¥98 billion ($950 million) from software sales, in Japan. [2]

Worldwide, the franchise was worth ¥2 trillion [3] (nearly $20 billion) by 2001. By 2002, the franchise was worth ¥3 trillion [5] (over $26 billion), and had sold $15 billion in merchandise worldwide. [4]

By 2005, Pokemon had become one of the biggest media franchises of all time, grossing $30 billion worldwide, from video games, anime, trading cards, and a theme park in Nagoya, Japan. [5]

By 2013, the Pokemon franchise had earned as much as ¥4 trillion in revenue,[6] equivalent to $50.13 billion.
.

While probably not yet to the heights of Mickey or all the crazy businesses that Disney has rooted itself in, Pokémon is certainly in the ballpark of Star Wars, which Lucas sold for $4 billion.

I'll concede that Lucas undersold it by a huge amount

 

[botty]

The end shot was interesting... like the kid was being brain washed. Really meta of them to do that.

 

[Bluth54]

Brilliant commercial for promoting the brand. I haven't played a Pokemon game in years and it made me want to play a Pokemon again.

 

[Raziel]

The ad is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Pokemon, it's a milestone and the tagline 'Train On' is to indicate that the brand is still strong and will continue into the future, its not here to sell you on anything. Seems like that was lost on a few people.

If it's not trying to sell anything, commercials are lost on The Pokemon Company.

 

[RedToad64]

I kind of wish they tied it in more with the upcoming Virtual Console releases in some way.

 

[Coffee Dog]

Jesus Christ video game fans are some of the most miserable fucking people.

This one time I saw a commercial with polar bears drinking Coke! Like, what's the deal? Is this a commercial for bears? There wasn't even a new flavor revealed! Stop wasting my time Coca-Cola, and show me a commercial with humans in it. God!

The point is that you can show coca cola, and people will want to go out and buy coca cola. Coca Cola doesn't have to do anything more than show itself because it exists in the world.

What are people going to buy? For the types of mass mass audiences that a superbowl commercial appeals to, Pokemon hasn't been heard from for 15 years. People will wonder what's going on with pokemon? Why is it back?

 

[foxuzamaki]

The point is that you can show coca cola, and people will want to go out and buy coca cola. Coca Cola doesn't have to do anything more than show itself because it exists in the world.

What are people going to buy? For the types of mass mass audiences that a superbowl commercial appeals to, Pokemon hasn't been heard from for 15 years. People will wonder what's going on with pokemon? Why is it back?

Pokémon sells in the double digit millions every game, how niche do you think pokemon is? Do you think this is wonderful 101 or something?

 

[watershed]

Love the ad, especially all the little nods to previous pokemon games. Fun ad. Strange though that it's not tied to any products explicitly.

 

[Coffee Dog]

Pokémon sells in the double digit millions every game, how niche do you think pokemon is? Do you think this is wonderful 101 or something?

i mean, that's the thing when discussing superbowl commercials. We're talking absolutely insane amounts of people.

But they wouldn't be airing a superbowl commercial unless they wanted to appeal to a wider audience than the faithful "pokemon crowd".

 

[MaximumSpider]

I don't know what I was expecting.

 

[Twentieth]

Despite the nods, I feel like the first 45 seconds could be a commercial for anything. The 30 second version which will be shown will be edited down and that's good, IMO.