Nintendo message Wii owners about the Wii U; "it's an entirely new system."

[emigre]

Spoiler

Apparently Ninty have taken the direct approach and have messaged Wii owners to state the Wii U is a completely new system rather than some sort of add on. It looks like Ninty have worked out their marketing for the Wii U has been less than stellar. What is also slightly amusing is that Wii Mini owners won't get this message because it lacks wifi. Someone probably didn't think that through too much.

Source​

 

[NiGHtS]

This is just....sad.

 

[Deleted member 473940]

That just shows how desperate they are?

 

[FAST6191]

Scene 1 - Almost 6 months since launch marketing meeting.

"Why is the Wii U not selling Wii numbers? My second boat was depending upon it selling that much and more."
The unwise engineer- "We released a soon to be underpowered console and have not either ensured games come out or made them ourselves"
"you are fired"
One that can think on their feet- "Maybe there is marketing confusion in that the plebs do not know the Wii U is not just another addon piece of junk"
"Watch your tongue: those addons paid for my third mansion... but you are right, the boys in naming did a bad job... again. Now it is up to us"
Jenkins- "I have a mailing list of confirmed Wii owners"
"Jenkins you are a genius"

 

[xist]

I'm actually quite stunned by how little television advertising there has been for the Wii U. The DS, Wii and 3DS were all over the TV, but the Wii U is curiously absent. Whilst that may be in direct relation to games worth advertising it does seem odd that they think a message like this will work. It's probably fair to say that if you don't know about the Wii U then your Wii is sitting unused in a corner or you're 5.

 

[Snailface]

Nintendo marketing used to be unflappable. Now look at it.

That message should have been communicated last November.

 

[RupeeClock]

I voiced my concerns about the Wii U's naming sometime before, citing that it may repeat the mistakes of the 3DS's namesake causing brand confusion.

 

[YamiHoshi.nl]

Meanwhile, "Buy a Wii Mini!".
While promoting the Wii Mini: "Fuck Wii, get a Wii U!".

 

[NightsOwl]

Oh, Nintendo. How funny you are.

 

[PolloDiablo]

I already have the Wii
where can I buy the U?

It's even funnier when you realize that U is the first letter of Upgrade

 

[Clydefrosch]

I voiced my concerns about the Wii U's naming sometime before, citing that it may repeat the mistakes of the 3DS's namesake causing brand confusion.

brand confusion is a terrible explanation for anything. its also the reason why apple is allowed to harrass a german cafe called apfelkind (applechild) for using a logo that looks like an apple http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/4672/apfelkindlogo.jpg
because you're obviously going to want to buy the new iphone and instead buy 700€ worth of coffee mugs instead.

anyone who knows about videogames or who cares about videogames knows that a wiiu is not a wii, or that a 360 is not just a spinning xbox.


though i dont really see the problem of advertising their new console on their old console, they should have done that twice a week for the last year. to make sure everyone gets that buying a wiiu will stop the messages.

 

[RupeeClock]

anyone who knows about videogames or who cares about videogames knows that a wiiu is not a wii, or that a 360 is not just a spinning xbox.

Never underestimate consumer ignorance.

http://www.gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=192150

We the invested gamers know, but we're in the minority, a large number of people that got Wiis got the system for board-game appeal and to play Wii Sports.
A lot of people thought that the 3DS was just the same DS but with an added 3D gimmick, because that's what was primarily marketed, the 3D effect.
Likewise people think the Wii U is just a Wii that comes with that tablet controller, not knowing it's a new system altogether.

 

[Taleweaver]

Is this some sort of joke?

The "all-new home console"? It's been out for nearly half a year now! Worse...the wii owners are very likely exactly the people who know that the wiiu ISN'T a wii upgrade (I really wonder how they got that idea *). And they either found out because they follow what nintendo is doing, or they had tried to buy some wiiu game to find out that it doesn't work.

I wonder what the next messages will be like...

"Go out and buy a wiiu now! Get rid of this piece of junk and get a console of this generation while you still can!"
"yes, we know there aren't many wii releases this year. It means you should get a hint and buy a wiiu already"
"This message is sent out because of the numerous confused mails we've received about the wiiu. It is a new console. No, its gamepad will not come to the wii. No, there will be no more wii releases. Again: no, it's NOT the same console or an upgrade. This one has a 'u' at the end, which signals it's completely new. And finally: no, we will not fire the person who came up with the name. Please stop bothering him about it."



*credits to NahuelDS for pointing out the u for upgrade.

 

[raulpica]

Nintendo's advertising team should be FIRED. Oh, the naming guys, too. Even "Nintendo Cappuccino" would've been a better name than "WiiU".

I mean, I still get customers asking:
"I want that new Luigi game on my DS"
"It's for 3DS"
"I have a DS"
"But it's a 3D game, for 3DS"
"Can I play it on my Nintendo DS without the 3D? I don't care about the 3D"

Which is caused from the WAY too similiar names.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Woah woah woah stop the presses! The Wii U isn't an upgrade for the Wii? Bullshit

 

[Veho]

What is also slightly amusing is that Wii Mini owners won't get this message because it lacks wifi. Someone probably didn't think that through too much.

People who would buy a Wii Mini probably can't afford a Wii U anyway. And the Wii Mini has been out for less than a month, I doubt the owners would be interested in getting a new console a month after buying the previous one.

 

[LightyKD]

So... that's why my Wii was glowing last night lol.

Seriously, this was a stupid move by Nintendo. I'm surprised that the damn included link actually worked. Here's the issue. Nintendo is about to nix the message board and the Nintendo Channel. -um, stupid move Nintendo! The reason why I like the Nintendo Channel these days is because it makes me "jealous". Whilst I'm super hyped over my coming Ouya, I still find myself watching Wii U and 3DS clips on the Nintendo channel and saying to myself, "hmmm, I can see myself enjoying this game on said consoles". How can you advertise to current Wii owners if you're taking away a really good advertising channel?

 

[RupeeClock]

I mean, I still get customers asking:
"I want that new Luigi game on my DS"
"It's for 3DS"
"I have a DS"
"But it's a 3D game, for 3DS"
"Can I play it on my Nintendo DS without the 3D? I don't care about the 3D"

Which is caused from the WAY too similiar names.

Reminds me of how Gameboy Advance games or Gameboy Color games would have appropriate warnings on the front and back.
Super Mario Bros Deluxe (GBC)
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/box/8/5/0/198850_50499_front.jpg
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/box/8/5/0/198850_50499_back.jpg

Super Mario Advance (GBA)
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/box/7/7/2/457772_50773_front.jpg
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/box/7/7/2/457772_50773_back.jpg

Now if you look at New Super Mario Bros 2, no warning that this software is not compatible with the Nintendo DS.
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/box/8/1/9/667819_259043_front.jpg
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/box/8/1/9/667819_259043_back.jpg
It does say "Plays on Nintendo 3DS systems sold for the Americas only." This is only concerning the region lock of the 3DS though, and doesn't mention lack of compatibility with the DS.

Nintendo's advertising team should be FIRED. Oh, the naming guys, too. Even "Nintendo Cappuccino" would've been a better name than "WiiU".

I want a Nintendo Cappuccino.

 

[WiiUBricker]

If you think Nintendo's advertising team is bad, how bad must be Sony's advertising team for you? PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4...

 

[Gahars]

Sheesh, it's just getting worse and worse for them, isn't it?

In the paraphrased words of Mr. T, "I pity the U."

If you think Nintendo's advertising team is bad, how bad must be Sony's advertising team for you? PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4...

While Sony's certainly had its fair share of bad ads, I don't think they ever had to explain to people that, say, the PS2 and PS1 were totally different things. The name alone got that across pretty well; numbers are useful like that.