News Thoughts on Mainstream Game Advertising

http://www.bit-tech.net/blog/gaming/2011/02/14/thoughts-on-mainstream-game-advertising/

 

While i agree fundamentally with what you're saying in terms of the target audience for the wii, do you think its actually necessary to mention that the mario games are part of their heritage? Surely those who remember mario, simply remember mario, without the need to remind them of how old they are getting, and how the company that invented it is still milking the life out of a franchise 25 years later.

Whats next? Call of Duty... Since 2004

 

I'm not sure if there is a word for it? You know, from the feeling you get from watching a Wii advert. It's a mixed feeling of embarrassment; for the people on the advert, anger; towards the people on the advert, nausia; hoping there is actually no one in real life like that, shame; because I like some Wii games, depression; because I feel no way near as happy as the people in the advert appear, horrified; at the whiteness of the peoples teeth, envious; at the fact that they are earning money for it, and underwhelmed at how little the advert makes me want to own the game.

Can anyway think of a word for that?

 

Facepalm.

 

I think that's a great advert. It makes a bold claim - that Mario, a video game character is a cultural institution - in a quiet, unassuming way. You can't imagine them being able to do the same with Sonic, or Lara Croft, can you?

To me, it also seems about as genuine as an ad is going to get (aside from the Jamie Redknapp bit, which Paul is right to point out). But compare how Jonathan Ross comes across in this to how he is when he presents TV. Here he seems much more spontaneous, more personal, less of a show off.

It's also well paced - the way the hold the music back till right at the end, so it's practically playing in your head by the time it arrives - doesn't take itself too seriously (Ross's Jamie Cullum joke), and in the appearance of Patrick Moore aka Games Master, a nice nod to the geeks in the audience.

The one tech company which has used this kind of ad before - and which does sometimes appeal to its heritage, albeit less explicitly than this - is Apple.

 

Mario and Lara Croft are part of our culture, maybe Sonic less so as he's not been that constant.
The generation of my parents know Mario and Lara Croft, even though they never touched one of the games.

What other Game characters can we really say that about?
Batman? (Not a game character really)

 

Duke Nukem he's been round since the release of the relentless torrent of sequels, oh hang on....

 

She got a street named after her.

I think Nintendo's advertising is great. It doesn't appeal at all to the hardcore gamers, but they aren't the ones Nintendo needs to target, are they?

 

IT'SA ME!!! MARIO!!!

Only computer game my non gamer friends can still beat me at

 

Nintendo have been rehashing the same content over and over for 25 years which is why their characters are recognisable.

 

I hate how Nintendo are still advertising the DSi to the public, yet the 3DS is round the corner. Why don't they fess up and actually make 3DS adverts and accept they can't just keep flogging DSi for ever and ever.

 

nintendo is for kids and these adverts do there job.. they manage to get everysingle little kid to ask there mums and dads for a wii or dsi or whatever. so even if i or anybody infact gringes when one comes on it it dosn't matter because nintendo's advertising team are doing there jobs right.

 

Sony are still selling the PS2, and remaking the games every 5 years isn't nearly as bad as the sports and cod franchises.

 

Does anyone remember the Zelda: Links Awakening advert from the early 90s that had Rik Mayall in it. I have no idea how that advert has stuck in my mind for so long, I was only about 8 years old at the time. I wonder if i'll remember the smug f*ckers from the current Nintendo adverts in 18 years time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su3kMZ7sEm8

 

I remember that commercial and I would hardly consider ‘Super Mario Brothers, part of the family since 1985’ to be a good message, comes across to me, as have not had any original ideas since 1985 so have been the same ones over and over ever since.

 

That video is blocked because i don't live in the UK. What kind of ass-backwards company blocks it's own commercials from youtube?

 

Me too. Sheesh.. It's a ad for heaven's sake. If a person with eyes wants to see it, let them. Heck even if a blind guy wants to just listen to the tunes..

Isn't that the whole point of advertising?

 

Here's another Rik Mayall Nintendo advert.

 

WTF? Censorship on YouTube? When did YouTube get bought out by the UK Gov't? Seriously, this is the first time I've seen this sort of thing on YouTube.