Not so long ago, Nintendo was content to advertise its biggest franchises with kids rapping awkwardly on a sofa. Since then, things have changed somewhat. In a bid to capture more and more of the expanded audience, Ninty is throwing the celebrities at us, such as those in the UK advert above (Harry Redknapp's evident confusion during the Brawl segment is something we shall always enjoy seeing).
How do you view slebs being used to endorse some of your favorite gaming products? Is it a horribly cynical marketing ploy, or simply a very cunning tactic on Nintendo's part? Also, do you know of anybody who was nudged toward a Nintendo-branded system by one of these adverts?
Reader Comments (9)
Posted: Jan 21st 2009 8:17AM (Unverified) said
Cue the "Who's Harry Redknapp?" questions in 3, 2, 1...
(For those Americans in the audience, Harry Redknapp is the manager of London-based soccer club Tottenham Hotspur. He won the FA Cup with Portsmouth last season. His son Jamie, a TV commentator, is in that ad, too.)
(For those Americans in the audience, Harry Redknapp is the manager of London-based soccer club Tottenham Hotspur. He won the FA Cup with Portsmouth last season. His son Jamie, a TV commentator, is in that ad, too.)
Posted: Jan 21st 2009 8:18AM (Unverified) said
I think we'd all like to see Harry Redknapp rapping awkwardly on a sofa about Nintendo.
Honestly, it's not a big issue to me that Nintendo uses celebrities to sell its products. It's Celebrity Endorsement 101, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Honestly, it's not a big issue to me that Nintendo uses celebrities to sell its products. It's Celebrity Endorsement 101, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Posted: Jan 21st 2009 9:18AM samfish said
I view it as cynical yet also cunning.
Posted: Jan 21st 2009 10:01AM (Unverified) said
The only sofa that matters is the one Heidi Klum is playing half nude GH on.
Posted: Jan 21st 2009 10:45AM (Unverified) said
Lets see them Get "Yes we can" man Pres. Obama
Posted: Jan 21st 2009 2:46PM (Unverified) said
As a rabid Spurs supporter, I was rather surprised to see Harry in Wii commercial- sort of a random choice, but fun to watch. Jamie Redknapp played for Spurs a while back, and Harry's nephew is Frank Lampard, who plays for Chelsea.
Posted: Jan 21st 2009 6:22PM (Unverified) said
They've been using celebrities to advertise the DS for ages. Olivia Newton-John and Kieren Perkins especially.
Posted: Jan 22nd 2009 5:33AM (Unverified) said
Yay! Another Australian.
"I'm exercising my brain!"
Reply
"I'm exercising my brain!"
Posted: Jan 23rd 2009 3:56PM (Unverified) said
I watch those American DS ads with like America ferara and like Carrie Underwood playing Brain Age, and it does not make me want to play it one bit. Nor anyone else I've known either.
