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Has the WiiU been poorly advertised?
- Thread starter MThanded
- Start date
Phife Dawg
Member
Haven't seen or heard anything here in Germany, no TV ads, billboards, radio coverage, demo stations, nothing. I guess they rely on selling out over christmas anyway (early adopters and limited supply). They better be ramping up next year though, because that will be the big teller.
Trevelyan9999
Banned
Yep it is badly advertised......but people still seem to know it's coming on Sunday the 18th don't they?
This shows that mind-share and advertising mean nothing, especially since Nintendo announced the Wii U (and didn't change the name) back in 2011.
This shows that mind-share and advertising mean nothing, especially since Nintendo announced the Wii U (and didn't change the name) back in 2011.
Haunted
Member
I refer to Phife Dawg above. I haven't seen or heard shit about it except online, but I feel like I don't watch enough TV or listen to radio to say either way.
Randolph Freelander
Member
What's to advertise? It is going to sell out this year. While you can certainly build additional awareness, it might be best to save marketing dollars until people can actually walk in and buy the thing.
Well, I don't use XBL so I don't know of that composition myself
The point being, we could lose the us vs them mentality here. A guy harshly dismisses the whole product based on a commercial. It's not really necessary to go ahead and think "ugh, what a 'bro'. Probably owns a 360...".
It's hardly framing an us vs. them mentality when even 360 owners admit to douchebag "dudebro" players being quite present on XBL, it's just a mere fact that such people exist in a fair number to be considered a subset of console gamers. In the previous gen, they were referred to (unfairly) as "the Madden crowd", where they primarily existed as PS2 owners. Their migration habits follow the most core-popular console of a given generation and have existed under different names since the 16-bit days, growing larger in number with each generation... this is simply the first generation where the rest of us were forced to hear their mating calls and acknowledge their ilk, thanks to XBL. There's even an indie GAF game that takes light jabs at the "dudebro" player archetype, and I can assure you that it's not made by only Nintendo fans.
Not everything negative said is an "us vs. them" proposition. Sometimes it's just an accepted reality.
Back to the topic at hand, I will say that I have at least seen more Wii U TV ads than Vita ones, and the only Vita ad I've ever seen was for the Assassin's Creed game. The Vita slogan of "console quality on the go" really shows that Sony doesn't understand what sort of value proposition it should be making with consumers. Lots of consumers don't even know what a "console" actually refers to and probably don't care enough about such a thing for it to resonate. The rest of the ad, though? SUPURB, just ruined by an awful slogan. "What this train needs is an assassin" works really well in the ad and should be expanded upon. "What your [insert mundane situation] is missing" would have been a better slogan to run with, I think, considering it's a portable system.
So as bad as people say that the music and presentation is in these ads, it's at least very pointed about what its value proposition is through the demonstrations and "How U Will Play Next" isn't bad, sort of baits a current Wii owner to trade up. Not great, but not bad, as far as slogans go.
jeremy1456
Junior Member
You know, it's probably a bad idea to move in a retail age direction for this thread.
If you guys remember correctly, the exact opposite of what everyone says in their experiences actually happens on the retail front, on the larger scale.
EDIT: All I'm saying is that if GAF retail musings painted an accurate view of the big picture both Microsoft and Nintendo would be out of the console biz.
If you guys remember correctly, the exact opposite of what everyone says in their experiences actually happens on the retail front, on the larger scale.
EDIT: All I'm saying is that if GAF retail musings painted an accurate view of the big picture both Microsoft and Nintendo would be out of the console biz.
jamesinclair
Banned
Wait, THIS Sunday?
TheFLYINGManga_Ka
Member
Yeah. I'm sure there are still a lot of people who don't know it's a new console.
I don't know how you would advertise it though. What would you say? It's a little bit more powerful than the PS3/360? It's not the Wii but, er...it's called the Wii U!
I think in time people will get it and see that it's a new system. And seeing how pre-orders are being sold out at Gamestop is a good sign.
I don't know how you would advertise it though. What would you say? It's a little bit more powerful than the PS3/360? It's not the Wii but, er...it's called the Wii U!
I think in time people will get it and see that it's a new system. And seeing how pre-orders are being sold out at Gamestop is a good sign.
This is probably the biggest mistep. Rayman is cool and all, but how is that going to grab anyone's attention that isnt a niche 2-d plaformer fan?
The Dutch Slayer
Member
Yes. Everyone I've asked (casual gamers that saw ads on tv/YouTube) seems to think it's either a portable Wii or a tablet controller for Wii. Considering we're one week to launch and Nintendo's had nearly a year and a half to present the console to the public, we shouldn't be having these problems by now. This is probably going to be another 3DS situation where the public has the wrong idea about the console.
Canis lupus
Member
I don't see any major ads for it where I live, tv ads are still Just Dance 4 for Wii.
michaelius
Banned
I'm not sure if Nintendo Poland knows they have new console releasing soon.
ipukespiders
Member
Do non gamers (such as parents that may buy a system for their kids) even know or use the term "console"?
Android18a
Member
I haven't seen any ads on TV yet, but then I don't watch much TV. If there is a UK ad campaign, I'm yet to encounter it.
This ad is pretty nice. I still think they should devote a few seconds to pointing out the main 'set top box' isn't the same as the one for the Wii.
This ad is pretty nice. I still think they should devote a few seconds to pointing out the main 'set top box' isn't the same as the one for the Wii.
Tricky I Shadow
Banned
It blows my mind that it comes out next week. It seems to have zero buzz/excitement.
Which is completely understandable to be honest.
Clay Davis
Member
no, television adverts in the uk have made it very clear it's a brand new console. I saw an advert last night for nintendoland and the entire advert focused on the tablet and new ways to play.
I haven't seen other adverts yet, but based on the one I did see, I think the advertising campaign is doing a good job of showcasing the new console and the tablet.
I haven't seen other adverts yet, but based on the one I did see, I think the advertising campaign is doing a good job of showcasing the new console and the tablet.
I wouldn't say it's at Vita levels, but yes, the Wii U has been poorly advertised.
The majority of the commercials are very easy for average folks to confuse it for a new product for the old (original) Wii that they more than likely don't even use anymore.
It also doesn't help that for these past weeks the ads have been competing with all the attention/news from the presidential election.
The majority of the commercials are very easy for average folks to confuse it for a new product for the old (original) Wii that they more than likely don't even use anymore.
It also doesn't help that for these past weeks the ads have been competing with all the attention/news from the presidential election.
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
lastyear/10
SkyMasterson
Member
Why bother spending a ton of money advertising for something that will sell out at launch regardless?
They can save that cash and spend it for next year when the supply catches up to the demand.
They can save that cash and spend it for next year when the supply catches up to the demand.
If they begin advertising early on and get demand high they can cause a similar effect like they did with the Wii, but considering that's not what's happening right now, they wont get that effect. Advertising early on will help them in the long run, so it's not something that has a short term effect. People will see it as a must have item and will want it even more when they know they can't get their hands on one.
they better start contacting people on their wait list then. i thought that was the whole point of that thing.
damn son... the product needs advertisments.
Well, think of it this way:
In the past, when a new console is revealed, all those same people knew is "hey, a new [insert game box here] is coming out. So... what does it do?" Heck, I get questions like that about the over-exposed iPhone and iPad, and the way people talk, EVERYONE should know what those devices do because of their over-exposure in modern culture. But it doesn't work like that.
Anyone who's confused about the Wii U being just a controller peripheral are the same people who aren't going to know the featureset of a console, as both issues are resolved with a Google search or a Wikipedia lookup.
So the "problem" is that Nintendo tackled the introduction backwards: they presented reasons the device is something consumers might want and not shouting "NEW CONSOLE" from the rooftops, rather than presenting a new console and not shouting "THIS IS THE REASON YOU WILL WANT THIS" from the rooftops.
Frankly, I know what's more likely to get someone's ass to the store to want to buy something, misinformation be damned. And getting someone to go to the store with the intent to purchase is usually the hardest battle to win.
My take on the "bad ad" discussion is:
Nintendo have a limited ammount of WiiU consoles at launch and possibly a period into next year. Preorders is mostly sold out.
WiiU has MiiVerse and also the "unboxing" fad on youtube is massive, every new product will have dozens of unpacking videos. Also the user review community is ever growing.
There will be so much content out there about WiiU after the release that curiosity will grow as Nintendo focuses on producing more units and more games.
This saves money and gives the power to the user to promote their own experience.
Nintendo have a limited ammount of WiiU consoles at launch and possibly a period into next year. Preorders is mostly sold out.
WiiU has MiiVerse and also the "unboxing" fad on youtube is massive, every new product will have dozens of unpacking videos. Also the user review community is ever growing.
There will be so much content out there about WiiU after the release that curiosity will grow as Nintendo focuses on producing more units and more games.
This saves money and gives the power to the user to promote their own experience.
Yep.
There won't be that many units anyway so of course it'll more than likely be sold out.
they better start contacting people on their wait list then. i thought that was the whole point of that thing.
sounds like either gamestop or nintendo split it so not everything gets sold out day one for some reason. again, i thought that's what the wait list would be for.
JimmyRustler
Member
There is no need to advertise it. The Nintendo fans alone will ensure that the console is sold out everywhere for the first few months.
TheMagician
Member
You're hardcore pal.
that's a pretty terrible plan. this is their biggest shot at exposure. it seems they're running ads specifically behind big movies though. it's already run behind wreck-it-ralph and skyfall. they'll probably shoot for the hobbit: an unexpected journey: part 1, too.
it does fit into their whole thing of 'i have no idea what i'm doing' attitude behind the system as a whole. 'here's nintendoland?' and they offer this thing up. nintendo seems lost. maybe they'll figure it out next gen if they make it there.
SkyMasterson
Member
Damn son...I said, why bother spending a "ton".
Obviously advertise, but no need for a 100 million dollar campaign this season.
Best time to advertise to non-nintendo fans would be during Holiday season, so I doubt this is their plan. Their advertisement has just been pretty shitty so far.
Just because you mute multiplayer on XBL doesn't mean the racist, sexist and homophobic shit that comes out of the mouths of dudebro players doesn't exist anymore.
There's plenty of literature on such behaviour's existence and the types of games it is usually limited to for someone to make a correlation between a comment like that and a being a dudebro Xbox owner. Doesn't mean it's right, but the plausability exists.
This is just one bullshit comment. Plenty of literature??!!! LOL. There's also plenty of literature that exist that documents the diddling of humans by aliens. Good Lord.
Also, when it comes to the advertising....for those that say Nintendo need not advertise (can't meet demand etc.), step into my office because you're fucking fired. Advertising a new product creates buzz, especially word of mouth. Hey, maybe someone will see the ad, tell their friend who LOVES tablets that a new console is coming with a tablet controller...plus one potential sale. You always advertise the shit out of a product. The fact that Nintendo isn't doing so with this console is a bit strange to me.
a 500 million dollar campaign would do it. worked for the original xbox, and worked for the kinect.
show me just one commercial that´s not in the UK or the USA..? I haven´t seen anything.. not even on Disney Channel..
their commercials looked like if the gamecube launch commercials and the kinect launch commercials had a baby and i saw the baby and it looked at me.
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
I don't watch much TV nowadays but I already have seen the Sing ad on Dancing with the Stars twice.