Marketing Wii U:

Exploring how Nintendo could capture core and casual gamers

Coming away from E3 2011, what struck me was that Nintendo publicly admitted something they have often shirked away from, namely that they never have the kind of third party support other consoles enjoy. More importantly though, was the impression that they are now commercially doing something about it. This was a bold statement from Nintendo who, for years have sauntered on regardless, held aloft by their peerless first party titles. It is therefore important to understand the connotations the Wii & U branding represented.

It is historically proven that Nintendo, even with a string of strong second parties and other 'close at hand' development teams, struggle to create the wealth of gaming experiences expected from core gamers. A lack of quality software has been a large component of previous Nintendo console struggles from the N64 to the 3DS, so it was interesting to see the focus Nintendo gave third parties on their E3 2011 showreel as they advertised what to expect from their new console.

And so, with the impending reveal and launch of a console that promises to cater to everyone, what Nintendo face is an identity and marketing challenge which begs the question: How do you pitch the WiiU? We all know what the 'Wii' brand means (for better or worse) yet the U aspect is a large(r?) component of this console. Perhaps embracing the divide of Wii and U is where a stroke of genius could occur...

Might Nintendo focus on ads like this to promote the 'Wii' aspect?

As a longtime gamer the Wii enabled me to play with generations of my family like never before. My parents and grandparents would never play a videogame with me prior to the Wii and now they all own their own Wii consoles. Job done Nintendo, hats off all around. But whilst they are still playing Wii Sports (once a year) I've moved on and bought a HD console and lots of software to satisfy my gaming desires.

Nintendo did the hard part, convincing non-traditional users to part with their cash - so it would make sense for Nintendo to continue to focus on the 'Wii' aspect of their new console. There would be no harm delivering new casual experiences based upon Wii Sports/Fit/Music/Play brands. This would make sense if Nintendo want existing casual gamers to migrate over from their current Wii systems whilst enabling them to experience similar, welcoming experiences. The WiiU would then be ticking off the Wii aspect of its name, focusing on those used to using their wii remotes and balance boards hiding in cupboards. Nintendo could advertise these titles under the Wii aspect of the console, focused around 'legacy' casual games and control.

Thankfully, Nintendo can also widen and deepen their catalogue of software within their own offices (and their second parties' output) through their franchise characters. Yet Nintendo must ensure these titles come out of the gate early to create that core fanbase they have so heavily leant on in the past. If clever enough, Nintendo could pick and choose which titles to put under the aforementioned Wii or U banners. For instance, a Metroid or Zelda outing could focus on the 'U' aspect of the brand with a new Mario outing under the 'Wii' aspect.

And so this is where third party games could be effectively marketed. An advert portraying a shooter/traditional title being played could focus on the 'U' aspect of the console (something like 'Are U a gamer?' could get the point across) which would then sit against the polar opposite of a Just Dance/casual title being advertised with 'Wii are gamers too’ as the tagline. Both could then highlight either tablet/remote controls respectively.

An advert of a gamer using the tracker on the controller may show the 'U' aspect

It is in the very definition of the console where Nintendo will either succeed or fail in capturing a wider and deeper market. The marketing of the console will therefore play a large part in this. Nintendo marketed the Wii superbly in the UK with their celebrity and family-based advertising, as they really pushed home the casual market focus yet the WiiU is a real mixed beast now Nintendo have found out such a route isn't paved with gold.

It will be interesting to see how Nintendo portray the console in the media and if Nintendo truly can embrace Wii and U.

Have any thoughts on how Nintendo will push for both markets?
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Written by Mark Lee