The success of Wii
A long time ago, I posted about Nintendo’s choice of a name for the Wii.
Others have noted that there’s far less of a frenzy about the Wii than the new PlayStation. Sony is losing hundreds of dollars on every one they sell, supply is limited and, straight out of Jennifer Government, people are getting shot in the frenzy to buy the game.
And yet Nintendo hums along, with great reviews, plenty of supply and a long-term hit on their hands.
What’s up?
All marketers make choices. And those choices need to be consistent. Nintendo is not trying to reach hard core gamers, and so they’re consistently building a process that will lead to long-term success. Just as the Gameboy was disrespected for its technical shortcomings (but sold and sold and sold for a decade) the Wii is following a similar path. Just because it’s not a product for the loudest, most devout fans of gaming doesn’t mean it’s not a brilliant product.
It still has a dumb name, though.