“Who are you?†is a question that Nintendo of America is asking video game players of all ages in a new multimedia campaign this fall.
The campaign showcases the ability of Nintendo games to let players explore a wide range of emotions and personalities through Nintendo’s stable of the most popular and diverse video game characters in the world. The “who are you?†idea is introduced through cinema advertisements, print ads, out-of-home elements that include wall murals and 30-sheet billboards in major cities, transit ads, mall banners and dioramas, in-store merchandising and other elements. An online component features interactive ads and a “who are you?†Web site located at www.nintendo.com/whoareyou.
The campaign features a cinema commercial that is one of the most ambitious commercials ever produced by Nintendo, featuring more than 500 extras and notable talent such as the stunt coordinator for Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and the editor of Amelie. Filmed in Asia, the ad pays homage to Nintendo’s heritage. The 60-second spot will run on nearly 10,000 screens in movie theaters across the United States beginning Oct. 30, prior to movies ranging from The Matrix Revolutions to The Cat in the Hat in order to reach a diverse group of video game players. In addition, 30- and 15-second versions of the commercial will be used on television in October to promote Super Mario Advance 4 : Super Mario Bros. 3, one of the most anticipated new games for Game Boy Advance.
View the cinema ad:
Windows Media (narrowband)
Windows Media (broadband)
Quicktime
“Nintendo permanently established video games as a key element of popular culture, and ‘who are you?’ embodies the emotional connection players have with their favorite games and characters,†says George Harrison, senior vice president, marketing and corporate communications, Nintendo of America Inc. “This campaign celebrates what makes Nintendo unique – the fact that we offer the widest range of personalities through which you can unleash your other self … your game self.â€
“This is not about changing who we are,†says Harrison. “Nintendo has been and always will be about making great video games for all ages. This campaign simply enables us to speak with one unified voice.â€
In the campaign’s print ads, Nintendo characters are “taped†onto well-known photographs and images, including the Mona Lisa and the Berlin Wall, among others. The ads illustrate the point that Nintendo games allow players to take on a wide range of imaginative roles and reinforce Nintendo’s position as an innovator that shapes pop culture. Print ads appear in nearly 20 different magazines, including Rolling Stone, Stuff, Spin and ESPN.
