Want Word-Of-Mouth? Put Wii In Our Hands
There is an article in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times (reg. required) about getting women to try the new Nintendo Wii product. Perhaps because I am not around kids on a daily basis, I have never really been exposed to gaming. Nor does the idea of being inside with a gadget and a monitor appeal to me much, in general (being a bit more inclined to physically active pursuits, as you all know by now). However, after reading about Wii and how the savvy marketing team got the product into the hands of a lot of not-so-obvious prospective female gamers like me - I might actually try this technology.
(If skeptical me could be convinced, for example, just think what an influencer I might become!)
Anyway, from what the LA Times writer Dawn C. Chmielewski reports, it sounds like Nintendo did their homework (and hired a great consultant - kudos to whoever you are) in spreading the word.
Their research included identifying people who would be great influencers in eight cities:
“…a core gamer/loyalist who would sing the praises of the
system to other gamers; a large multi-generational family, where
everyone from the kids to the grandparents could take turns with the
Wii remote; and an alpha mom, who would presumably spread the word at
schoolyards, soccer fields and her neighborhood.”
What caught my eye was that:
a) Nintendo didn’t research only the “usual suspect” coastal cities (but included Austin, Texas and Tonganoxie, Kansas) or only talk with their existing biggest fans. And, they continue to be very clear about promoting the product to middle America as well as urban areas. (Check out the fun Wii televison ads here.)
b) Nintendo realized that perhaps those people who at first might be very negative about the product would, in the long run, be worth investing in/persuading for even more powerful word-of-mouth.
The Nintendo brand took the risk and became vulnerable to possibly bad comments and negative reactions from consumers who were wayyyy outside their usual market. I’d say that risk was worth it.
