Coffee Beans
This past Thursday, November 1st, Nintendo showed its first Wii U launch video produced for the United States. They released a New Super Mario Bros. U commercial and a SiNG Party commercial, both Wii U games, last week as well.
The official launch video has received very mixed reactions. Some Nintendo fans think it's okay, and that it will do okay with multiple viewings. Others think it's pretty bad at conveying what the Wii U is and what the Wii U is about, and aren't fans of the music chosen for it.
If you missed the new Wii U launch video an commercials last week for the U.S., brew yourself some coffee and hit the jump to see them below, as well as my updated version of the first official "Wii U Advertising Campaign Launch Video"!
The Brew
First up, the "Wii U Advertising Campaign Launch Video" which was the first one Nintendo of America released last week:
Next up, the "Wii U SiNG PARTY Launch TV Commercial" that was published and made public last Friday by JK Dance Productions:
Last up, the "Wii U - New Super Mario Bros U Launch TV Commercial" that Nintendo published on their YouTube Channel last Friday, November 2nd:
Caffeinated Thoughts
I personally don't think the "Wii U Advertising Campaign Launch Video" does a good enough job of showing that the Wii U is a brand new console, and not simply a new controller that can be used with existing Wii consoles. Same with the New Super Mario Bros. U and SiNG Party commercials. Every main shot of the Wii U console in the videos is hidden behind the Wii U GamePad, which I think might lead to confusion for many being that the black Wii console and black Wii U console (same for the white versions) look very similar in appearance.
Also, it seems very "busy" to me, with nothing being explained as to what is happening and being shown. I don't think the background music is a good choice if the ad will be used to target all ages of potential Wii U buyers. (Bean 1 enjoys the video a good deal, and Mrs. Coffee didn't mind it, but she did know about the Wii U before watching it.) I do think the launch video would be better marketed at a younger audience, and not the "expanded audience" of older gamers that Nintendo picked up with the Wii and I think it will be interesting to see how/if Nintendo adapts the Wii U marketing strategy for different audiences.
Being that the "Wii U Advertising Campaign Launch Video" doesn't say "Commercial" in its YouTube title though, like the two for the Wii U games do, makes me wonder if the ad will actually run on TV, or if it is perhaps just designed for the internet to kick things off?
Even though I don't think the music is the best choice (and I lack the announcer voice), I decided to see if I could have some fun and re-edit the video using the same background music in the original, but make it a little bit more informative and help show viewers the Wii U is not just a new controller, the GamePad, but also an entire new system. You can see my updated, over caffeinated, version of the "Wii U Advertising Campaign Launch Video" below.
Questions
Are you impressed with Nintendo's Wii U launch video and commercials for the U.S. market so far? Do you think they need to provide more information in them, as I do? If so, what information would you like to see in a general Wii U console commercial?
Would you prefer an official Wii U video that addresses and shows a little better what the Wii U GamePad is being used for, and that the Wii U console is entirely new; perhaps like my updated, over caffeinated, Wii U video?
You can pre-order New Super Mario Bros. U and SiNG Party on Amazon.com and check out the outrageous prices of the Wii U consoles from third party sellers, below:
