 |
|
|
 |
 |
In support of its strongest
lineup ever of video games designed for older players, Nintendo of
America today announced it will spend $140 million in marketing
during the holiday season, a 25-percent hike over last year. Much of
the funds will target teen and 20-something players.
The marketing focus mirrors several noteworthy and highly
anticipated game releases over the remaining weeks of 2002. Both the
teen-rated Metroid Prime and the mature-rated Resident Evil Zero
arrive this fall exclusively for Nintendo GameCube. They are among
80 new game launches supporting the platform before year-end.
"As our game library grows to 180 by New Year's Eve, Nintendo
will have the largest concentration ever of games designed for
players in their teens, and older," says Peter MacDougall,
Executive VP of Sales and Marketing, Nintendo of America.
"By significantly boosting our fourth quarter spending over
last year, when we launched the Nintendo GameCube, it's clear
Nintendo is serious about the serious gamer."
Targeted marketing programs for the remainder of 2002 include:
- Exclusive Nintendo Cube Clubs in
urban storefronts in 15 cities, featuring live music and
extensive hands-on game play
- A celebrity-studded anniversary
party for Nintendo GameCube in Hollywood
- Intensified advertising
campaigns aimed at teens and young adults highlighting a wide
range of older-appeal titles from Nintendo and independent
third-party publishers
- More than 3 million promotional
DVDs with 80-plus minutes of game footage representing more than
25 new games
- Cinema advertising in Nov. and
Dec. on more than 6000 screens nationwide
- Sponsorship of the USSA
Snowboarding Grand Prix, running from December through April
- Promotional partnerships with
Heineken, Keebler and Kraft Easy Mac & Cheese
- Multi-market radio promotions
- Intensified internet and print
advertising
- 1.5 million copies of a new
80-page, full color consumer booklet at thousands of retail
outlets in November
- Numerous out-of-home programs --
in schools, malls, college campuses, airports, bars and
nightclubs -- reaching teens and young adults where they hang
out
While expanding its message to the
older player, Nintendo remains unparalleled in attracting gamers of
all ages. In August, the latest iteration in the Mario series, Super
Mario Sunshine for Nintendo GameCube, moved to #2 on the sales
charts, despite being available only the last six days of the month.
Recent releases Star Fox Adventures and Animal Crossing also are
selling very well.
In total, 60 percent of Nintendo's global marketing budget is spent
in the last four months of the year. As an industry, the retail
value of video games in America is on track to surpass $10 billion
for the first time in 2002.
|
|
October
7, 2002 |
|
Press Release,
Nintendo of America |
|
|
|
|
|
|
