brand audit: nintendo
TRANSCRIPT
Brand Management – 325 661
Brand Audit-Nintendo 2010, semester 1
Wanda Lee, ChunChang Wu
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Table of Content
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................. 3
Section 1: Introduction –Nintendo ..................................................................................... 4
Section 2: Marketing Strategy and Positioning ................................................................... 5
2.0 Marketing Objectives: ........................................................................................... 5
2.1 Market Targeting .................................................................................................. 5
2.2 Product .................................................................................................................. 5
2.3 Pricing .................................................................................................................... 6
2.4 Promotion ............................................................................................................. 6
2.5 Brand Positioning .................................................................................................. 7
Section 3: Brand Elements .................................................................................................. 8
Section 4: Consumer-Based Brand Equity Analysis ............................................................ 9
4.1 Identity ------------Salience ..................................................................................... 9
4.2 Meaning --------Imagery ........................................................................................ 9
4.3 Meaning -----------Performance ........................................................................... 12
4.4 Response----------Judgments ............................................................................... 15
4.5 Response----------Feelings .................................................................................... 17
4.6 Relationships-----Resonance ............................................................................... 18
Section 5: Recommendations ........................................................................................... 20
Recommendation 1 –Develop market for elders...................................................... 20
Recommendation 2 –Recapture the core gamers .................................................... 20
Recommendation 3 –Support online download games ........................................... 21
Reference .......................................................................................................................... 22
Appendix 1 – 2009~2010 Nintendo TV ad ........................................................................ 24
Appendix 2 – Questionnaire and Result ........................................................................... 26
Questionnaire Result ................................................................................................ 29
Appendix 3 – Nintendo 2008 Annual Report .................................................................... 36
Appendix 4 – Slogans ........................................................................................................ 38
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Executive Summary
Nintendo, ranked 39 among other global brands (Interbrand, 2009), positions
itself in an interactive entertainment market of people for all ages. Starting in 1889,
one heritage of Nintendo is innovation, which it has utilized to move ahead of its
competitors (Nintendo magazine, 2010). By changing people’s perception of gaming,
Nintendo attracts non-gamers to enjoy the seventh generation of gaming. Wii,
released in 2006, and nothing like any other game console market has grown to be
the market leader in 2008.
Analyze Nintendo’s Consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) model
Identity: Nintendo is highly recognized and recalled by consumers, and launches TV
commercials to communicate its customers that it is a brand for everyone. Wii and its
related games can satisfy people’s different needs.
Imagery: Nintendo is a classy and unique brand, and its products help people to kill time
or socialize with others.
Performance: the creation of unique, innovative, upscale features that differentiate
Nintendo from Sony and Microsoft.
Judgment: People judge Nintendo as a brand with good quality and worth trusting.
Feelings: Nintendo is a fun, cool and exciting brand.
Relationship: one out of two people are willing to purchase Nintendo’s products again
and Nintendo has the biggest market share of game consoles. The establishment of
Nintendo Club as a community hub for further engagement and entertainment.
Recommendations
1. Develop market for elders
2. Recapture the core gamers
3. Support online downloading games
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Section 1: Introduction –Nintendo
Nintendo CO. Ltd. (任天堂株式会社) ranks 39th among other best global brands
(Interbrand, 2009), and is a multinational company, producing interactive entertainment
products.
Nintendo was founded by Fusajiro Yamauchi in Kyoto, Japan, on September 23, 1889.
Before 1975, the core business of Nintendo was a handmade playing cards game, called
hanafuda cards, but what make Nintendo today was a turning point in 1975.
Nintendo cooperated with Mitsubishi Electric to develop a video game system in 1975,
and introduced the microprocessor into this system a year after. Nintendo stepped into the
video games industry successfully. Nintendo dominated the video game industry for decades
from 1997 until the emergence of strong competitors, Sony and Microsoft.
Nintendo is consistently creative and innovative to appeal to its customers (Nintendo
magazine, 2010). Nintendo tries to keep its competitiveness by introducing new game
consoles, and developing new games software periodically. During 2008, Nintendo defeated
its competitors on sales, leading Nintendo to become the market leader again.
Figure 1.1 – Market share of video game consoles
Source: Wolfgang Gruener, TG Daily, 2009
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Section 2: Marketing Strategy and Positioning
2.0 Marketing Objectives:
Nintendo wants to expand the worldwide gaming audience and keep profiting without
losing its current target customers of 5 to 17 years old males.
2.1 Market Targeting
"Today there are people who play and people who do not," said Fils-Aime, executive vice
president of marketing for Nintendo of America. "Wii will help destroy that wall between
them. Regardless of age, gender of game experience, anyone can instantly understand Wii."
(Chris Morris, 2006)
Demographic Segmentation
5-17 young adults
Family
Female
Behavioural Segmentation
Non-traditional gamers who are looking forward to try new type games.
Social/ party gamers
Causal gamers
Video game lovers
2.2 Product
Nintendo has three product lines: Wii, NDS series and Nintendo’s game (Figure 2.1). “We
had to make the games more immersive, not from a visual standpoint, but from a game-play
standpoint,” said Fils-Aime. (Matt Hartley, 2007)
Figure 2.1 – Nintendo Products: Wii, NDS series and Super MarioBros game
When Sony and Microsoft center on developing traditional games, such as shooting and
fighting games, emphasizing on high definition graph on games or game consoles, Nintendo
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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embraces a wide variety of games, especially non-traditional games which add creative
content into support choosing Nintendo products. Nintendo also invests features especially
on interactive and fun experience. For example, NDS support 16 people to play together,
motion oriented games appeal to non-gamers or NDS 3DS, which will release before April
2011, will create new experience of gaming of “3D effects” without the need of special
glasses(Nintendo, 2010).
2.3 Pricing
“…we will give you more fun for less money” said Reggie Fils-Aime, (Chris Morris, 2006).
From following table, Nintendo’s price is less expensive than other brands.
Nintendo Sony Microsoft
Console Wii PS3 XBOX360
Price (USD) $199.99~249.99 $299.99~499.991 $479.99
2
Nintendo Sony Microsoft Apple
Handheld NDS series PSP Kin (release in
2010 Fall)
iPhone
iPod
Price (USD) DS - $149.99
DSL-$149.99
DSi - $169.99
$169.99~249.99 About $4003 iPod- $299
iPhone - $199~299
* Pricing different from basic to premium models.
2.4 Promotion
While Sony and Microsoft use print advertisement and highlight only on their game
features, Nintendo put more resource on TV commercials and use endorsement. Nintendo
use both male and female stars to appeal to all market. 2009~2010 TV advertisement, in
Japan, Nintendo uses idols such as Matsushima Nanako, Ninomiya Kazunari and Ohashi
Nozomi; and in Australia, endorsers are Delta Goodrem and Brian McFadden. The
advertisements basically shot how fun those stars enjoy playing Wii in a scene like at home.
1 PS3 Launch Prices from around the world, from <http://www.ps3rules.com/article.html>
2 Happy Xbox 360 Elite launch day! From <http://xbox.joystiq.com/2007/04/29/happy-xbox -360-elite-launch-day/>
3 Microsoft hints at Kin phones’ prices, lets you win 50 of them, from <http://www.unwiredview. com/2010/04/12/microsoft-hints-at-kin-phones-prices-lets-you-win-50-of-them/>
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Not only Mario, Nintendo’s famous icon, shows on TV ad, Pokemon also plays an important
role in TV ad in order to attract kids in buying Nintendo’s product (Appendix 1).
2.5 Brand Positioning
While Sony and Microsoft who focus on professional/ core gamers market, Nintendo
positions it interactively and game-friendly to use in casual or social occasion for everybody.
Its price is also more affordable when people consider buying a game console, and the
content of its games is more creative and easy to play to attract beginners or non-gamers.
(Byron Acohido, 2006)
Figure 2.2- Perception Map of Nintendo
Expensive Affordable
Traditional
Creative
Sony Microsof
t
Nintendo
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Section 3: Brand Elements
Name: Nintendo
Logo:
Character: Mario
Mario, a character designed by Nintendo, and later became the most recognized icon of
Nintendo. Super Mario Bros is a well-known games and best sellers of Nintendo’s products
after it released in 1980 (Rus Mclaughlin, 2007). Mario’s fever keeps burning and in Japan
April 2010, Super Mario Bro. Wii sales ranks number one among other games (Inside for all
games, 2010).
Figure 3.01 – Super Mario series
Slogans:
Nintendo DS’s slogan is “Touching is good," and promotes it globally to underline its
unique feature "Touch" (Brandon, 2008). Other slogans are referred in Appendix 4.
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Section 4: Consumer-Based Brand Equity Analysis
This section will use Keller’s (1993) Consumer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) model to
evaluate Nintendo’s brand equity. The analysis will base on the four steps of CBBE mode:
identity, meaning, response, and relationship. Primary and secondary data are collected to
illustrate. The primary data (Appendix 2) is based on the questionnaire we surveyed during
April 2010, and sample size is 35 people.
4.1 Identity ------------Salience
Brand
Nintendo launched advertising campaign to increase its customers’ awareness. In TV ad,
Nintendo refreshes it as a family and social game brand rather a traditional, nerdy-like one.
For needs satisfied, a survey (James Ransom-Wiley, 2009) showed that 86 % of young adults
are asking for at least one video game during holiday gift-getting season and Nintendo’s
product can meet their need. For "Girly Girl," "All Things Sports," "The Adventurer," Wii,
along with “Wii Sports Resort,” and “New Super Mario Brothers,” would be their ideal
choice.
Nintendo is highly recognized and recalled by consumers. Observed from primary data,
firstly, for video games’ dimension, 25% of respondent said Nintendo is the first brand that
comes to their mind. The rest of respondents think of Sony and other games developers,
such as Square Enix. Second, we asked “what is the first brand comes to your mind when
you think of game console and portable game console?” More than 50% of respondents
answered Nintendo. However, an interesting phenomenon is people not directly think of its
brand’s name, but products’ name instead, such as Wii, PS3, and Xbox360. In other words,
Wii as a sub-brand of Nintendo is overwhelming than Nintendo itself. Last but not least, for
all brands of game consoles which come to consumers’ mind, mainly there are three brands
mentioned, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, but Apple’s iPhone is referred occasionally as
well.
4.2 Meaning --------Imagery
User profile
Nintendo’s original target customers are males in their teens to twenties. After
Wii, which pronounces like “we,” launched in 2006, people consider Nintendo’s
users as cross-gender and of all ages (Byron Acohido, 2006).
Purchase and usage situations
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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According to primary data, people most likely use Nintendo’s products in three
situations.
1. Feel bored and want to kill time after school or work.
2. Commute and try to find something to do on the trams or trains.
3. Get together with their friends or families and want to have fun and relaxing.
Other answer includes using Wii to exercise at home.
History, heritage, and experience
Starting on 1889, Nintendo is a company with long history. Throughout its history in the
home entertainment arena, Nintendo has created unique hardware and software as one
integrated entertainment product. From Game boy’s hit in 90s, Nintendo roots in many
people’s childhood memory and invoked people’s nostalgic feeling. In our survey, 81% of
respondents agree that Nintendo is a classic brand.
Figure 3.02 – Primary Data, % of Nintendo is a classic brand
Personality and values
When people personify Nintendo’s game consoles, they tend to draw a more diverse
and cute image, comparing with Sony’s cool and high-tech and Microsoft’s mature image
(Net Neta, 2010)
Figure 3.03 – an anonymous artist draw 12 different Nintendo DS personification.
13%
23%
33%
410%
513%
639%
729%
Do not know0%
Nintendo is a classic brand.(Strongly disagree<1234567 >strongly agree)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Personification for Nintendo (Wii), Sony (PS3) and Microsoft (Xbox360)
Source: ねとねた(Net Neta), クオリティ高い擬人化画像くれ(Brand Personification) , 2010
Primary data demonstrates personality and values of Nintendo’s brand. 58% of
respondents agree that playing Nintendo’s products is fashionable. 68% of respondents
agree that Nintendo is a unique brand.
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Figure 3.04 – Primary data, % agree to Nintendo Image aspects.
Therefore, Nintendo’s brand has positive attributes of interesting, funny, and classic;
nevertheless, people do feel Nintendo is a bit old school and without new exciting stimuli.
4.3 Meaning -----------Performance
Evaluate Nintendo’s financial performance, in 2008, Nintendo’s net sales in the
electronic entertainment products division were US$16,687 million, increased by 73% from
the previous fiscal year (Nintendo, 2008) (Appendix 3).
Primary ingredients and supplementary features
Nintendo keeps adapting new technology to make its products perform better. Genyo
Takeda, the general manager of Nintendo states that performance is an important issue of
developing Wii, and one of its features is “high performance with low power consumption”
(Nintendo, n.d.). Furthermore, the Nintendo 3DS - the glasses-free 3D successor to the DS,
10%
210%
33%
426%
510%
635%
713%
Do not know3%
It is fashionable to use Nintendo products.(Strongly disagree<1234567 >strongly agree)
1234567Do not know
13%2
13%
36%
410%
510%
639%
719%
Do not know0%
Nintendo is a unique brand.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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also feature backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, will light special spark
in 2011 when it releases (Nintendo, 2010).
Figure 3.05- NINTENDO DS 3D demo
Source: Youtube, 2010 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWYgM1RGixM)
Indicated from our survey result, 81% of respondents agree Nintendo’s products are
innovative, 85% of them agree Nintendo’s products are user-friendly, and 75% of them
agree Nintendo’s products are high-tech products.
Figure 3.06 – Primary data, % agree to Nintendo Performance aspects.
13%
20%
33%
410%
510%
648%
723%
Do not know3%
Nintendo’s products are innovative.(Strongly disagree<1234567 >strongly agree) 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
10% 2
3%3
7%4
3%
529%
629%
726%
Do not know3%
Nintendo’s products are user friendly.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Product reliability, durability, and serviceability
Nintendo provides superior reliability. Tom Lvan (2009) declared that ‘The company
found Wii to be nine times more reliable than the Xbox 360 and four times more reliable
than the PS3.In addition, looking at the first two years of ownership, 2.7% of Wii owners
reported a system failure, compared with 10% of PS3 owners and 23.7% of Xbox 360
owners’. From primary data, 61% of respondents agree Nintendo’s products are durable.
Figure 3.07 – Primary data, % agree to Nintendo style and design
Service effectiveness, efficiency, and empathy
Nintendo gives its customers a good customer service. Nintendo trains its retail
workers to deal with customers’ defective products quickly and efficiently. In order to
achieve this goal, Nintendo gives its retail worker a customer service kit and handbook. Most
of problems and its solutions are demonstrated in this kit. (Randycornetta, 1991)
10%2
3%3
7%416%
532%
623% 7
19%Do not know
0%
Nintendo’s products are high-tech products.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
10%
20%
310%
419%
519%
623%
719%
Do not know10%
Nintendo’s products are durable.(Strongly disagree<1234567 >strongly agree)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Style and design
Nintendo’s products designers endowed Nintendo’s products many features. For
example, the size of Wii is smaller than other competitors’ consoles, and consumers can
easily store it. The high-tech appearance of Wii makes people feel this product is stylish. In
primary data, 71% of respondents agree Nintendo’s products have good style and design.
Figure 3.08 – Primary data, % agree to Nintendo style and design
Price
Nintendo’s price strategy is to set a price more everyone affordable than Sony and
Microsoft. One reason is the shift of target customers. The price must be attractive to
non-gamers. Another reason is Nintendo do not directly compete Sony, Microsoft for
realistic-graphic games, which have to invest significantly.
4.4 Response----------Judgments
Satoru Iwata, the Nintendo game developer mentioned:
"...I've never once been embarrassed that children have supported Nintendo. I'm proud
of it. That's because children judge products based on instinct. Everyone wants to appeal to
people's instincts, but it's not easy. That doesn't mean we're making products just for
children. We believe that there's interactive entertainment that people in their 60s, 70s and
80s can enjoy, so we're doing various things." (Steven L. Kent, 2004)
In our survey, we investigated people’s attitudes and opinions toward Nintendo’s
products. 72% of respondents agree Nintendo’s products are of good quality and 68% of
them trust Nintendo’s brand.
10%
27%
36%
413%
56%
642%
723%
Do not know3%
Nintendo’s products have good style and design.(Strongly disagree<1234567 >strongly agree)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Figure 3.09 – Primary data, % agree to Nintendo Judgment aspects
Nintendo made lot of effort to keep innovation and competitiveness. Nintendo not only
invests new technology and releases new consoles periodically but also modifies its design
by understanding what its customers’ consideration. Up to 64% of respondents agree that
Nintendo’s products have advantages which other competitors cannot offer.
Figure 3.10– Primary data, % agree to Nintendo Judgment aspects
10%
27%3
3%
416%5
10%
645%
716%
Do not know3%
Nintendo’s products are of good quality.(Strongly disagree<1234567 >strongly agree)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
10%2
3%3
3%
423%
523%
635%
710%
Do not know3%
I trust the brand of Nintendo.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
14%
27% 3
11%
414%5
18%
621%
725%
Do not know
0%
I think that Nintendo’s product has advantages that other brands
cannot offer. (Strongly disagree<1234567 >strongly agree)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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4.5 Response----------Feelings
Consumers’ feeling toward a brand is what people feel and react with the brand. In our
survey, respondents of high percentage agree Nintendo makes them feel fun, cool, and
exciting. Up to 45% and 62% of respondents agree that they like Nintendo’s products more
after using and they have good memory of Nintendo’s products. Even more remarkable, 56%
of respondents agree they grow up with Nintendo’s products.
After using Nintendo’s product, I
like Nintendo more.
1
6%
2
3%3
13%4
20%
5
16%
6
19%
7
10%
Do not know
13%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Using Nintendo’s products can bring
me good memory.
1
10%
2
6%
3
3%
4
16%
5
10%
6
19%
7
33%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
I grow up with Nintendo.
1
29%
2
3%
3
6%
4
3%
5
23%6
10%
7
23%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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4.6 Relationships-----Resonance
Behavioral loyalty
Behavioral loyalty represents in two dimensions, one is repeat purchases and another
is the market share of the product’s category. In our survey, 49% of respondents agree that
they are willing to purchase Nintendo’s products again, and 65% of respondents agree they
are willing to recommend other to buy Nintendo’s products.
Figure 3.11 - Primary data, % agree to Nintendo Resonance aspects.
For the share of category volume attributed to the brand, up to April 2010, Nintendo’s
market share wins the biggest share and sells most comparing with Sony and Microsoft in
game console industry. Lifetime console sold around the world are 70.56 million for the Wii
(Nintendo), 39.54 million for the Xbox 360 (Microsoft) and 34.25 million for the PS3 (Sony).
Respective market shares are 48.9%, 27.4% and 23.1% (Brent Williams, 2010).
10%
210%
33%
416%
526%
623%
716%
Do not know6%
I would recommend other people to buy Nintendo’s product.(Strongly disagree<1234567 >strongly agree)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
17%
23%
33%
432%
519%
616%
713%
Do not know
7%
If I were going to purchase again, I would still purchase Nintendo’s products.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Figure 3.12- lifetime total sales and market share for game consoles.
Source: VGChartz, 2010 April
Attitudinal attachment
Wii introduces new ideas into game console industry. Before Wii, people’s
attitude toward video games is to limit children playing because parents concern time
wasting and health issue. However, now, Nintendo’s games are not only for children but also
for adults, and playing games not only for sensorial excitement but also for good relationship
with friends and family. An innovative idea of Nintendo’s Wii is that playing games for fitness
instead of sitting in the couch, and this advantage of Wii appeal non-gamers to try
Nintendo’s games.
Sense of community
It’s important for a brand to build a community for its products. Nintendo has
its official clubs (https://club.nintendo.com/) and people can register product and
get reward from joining it. The official gifts are not-for-sale and special designed for
clubbers. People can recognize, identify and show-off when they claim the rewards.
Active engagement
Nintendo endeavors to make its consumers more engaged by offering more
valuable products and its club activity. Nintendo develops hundreds of games and
cooperates with video game developers to distribute more creative content. Its club
promotion will also spur customers to earn points by buying more products.
Consequently, with interesting games, innovation of game console and clubs,
Nintendo’s customers spend more time and money to engage with Nintendo.
Brand Audit: Nintendo
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Section 5: Recommendations
Based on primary and secondary data, this section will give recommendations to
Nintendo to enhance its brand equity and build stronger customer relationships.
Recommendation 1 –Develop market for elders
Over the past three decades, the baby boom generation, being retired, has strong
purchasing power (Emily Kaiser, 2008). Most of them are looking for new stimuli in their
lives. Another important issue for senior citizens is how to keep their brain and body healthy,
so exercising and brain training are valued by them. This big potential market is what
Nintendo must solidify (Justin McCurry, 2006).
The first recommendation for Nintendo is to build a stronger presence amongst this
generation. This can be achieved by developing suitable games and consoles for these senior
citizens or marketing existing games to appeal to them, such as the cooking game “America
Test Kitchen.” Many elders love to do crossroad puzzle and Suduku to keep them thinking
and to prevent dementia. Therefore, Nintendo should develop games to aid elders to do
brain training with more fun and relaxation, and to provide equipment to assist elders to
watch screens more easily and to use controllers more comfortably.
Recommendation 2 –Recapture the core gamers
Nintendo succeeds in capturing casual gamers and non-gamers, but lost focus on core
gamers. Compared with casual gamers, core gamers spend much more time and money on
games and pride in master the rules of games. Nintendo’s core gamers preferences are
those games, such as RPG (role-playing game), which require more effort and time to
complete (Tom goldman, 2010).
In our survey, some respondents said Nintendo’s games just cannot intrigue them. One
ex-Nintendo consumer complained that Nintendo should have more RPG games, and that is
what Nintendo was in the past and he desires that feature back. For core gamers, there are
few games on Wii which can appeal to them except Super Mario bros, but this does not
mean Nintendo should compete in the high resolution gaming market by upgrading their
hardware.
On a point of RPG genre, designing a game can tell really good story do help a video
game console manufacturer. For example, Final Fantasy series, a classic RPG game, sold
millions units worldwide and boost the sales of PS and PS2 (Jim Hargreaves, 2009). Released
in 2009, Final Fantasy 13 is played on PS3 and Xbox360 with high resolution and realistic
graphics, but it cannot break the selling record of Final Fantasy 7(1997), which is highly
Brand Audit: Nintendo
21
recognized as having the best story. Thus, Nintendo should offer special designed RPG
games to resonate with gamers and draw them back playing Nintendo’s products.
Recommendation 3 –Support online download games
Another reflection from primary data, one consumer mentioned that she dislikes going
to game store to buy games, and cassette wastes space to store. Since Nintendo DSi
released in 2008, Nintendo consoles can support wireless downloading software and
Nintendo DSi also has new feature of SD memory card slot to enlarge capacity of game
storage ; however, now, from online store NDSiWare (http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/
dsiware/) what consumers can download is just small applications such as notebook, clock,
map, puzzle and dictionary, not for ‘real’ games such as Super Mario Bro or cooking game
“America Test Kitchen.” In addition, one of the biggest handheld console competitor Apple’s
iPhone support downloading big game such as Avatar 3D iPhone game (http://www.
avatariphonegame.com/). For consumer’s convenience and environmental concerned,
Nintendo should ease the regulation of downloading, enable customers download more
games online.
Brand Audit: Nintendo
22
Reference
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http://www.neoseeker.com/news/12687-final-fantasy-xiii-breaks-japanese-sales
-records-boosts-ps3-sales/>
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<http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2006/mar/07/nintendods.games>
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<http://www.theglobeandmail. com/news/technology/article802825.ece >
Brand Audit: Nintendo
23
Net Neta (ねとねた), 2010, “クオリティ高い擬人化画像(Brand Personification),” in ね
とねた(Net Neta ), accessed 27 April 2010, from
< http://vitaminabcdefg.blog6.fc2.com/blog-entry-697.html>
Nintendo, 2008. “Annual Financial Report -2008,” in Nintendo: Corporate, accessed
27 April 2010, from < http://www.nintendo.com/corp/annual_report.jsp>
Nintendo, 23 March 2010. "Launch of New Portable Game Machine," in Nintendo |
Investor Relations, accessed 27 April 2010, from <http://www.nintendo.co.jp/
ir/pdf/2010/100323e.pdf>
Nintendo, n.d., "Iwata Asks" in Nintendo |what is wii, Iwata asks”, accessed 1May
2010, from <hhttp://www.nintendo.com/wii/what/iwataasks/volume-1/part-1>
Nintendo magazine, 26 February 2010, “wii 2 won’t be coming soon,” in Nintendo
magazine, accessed 2 May 2010, from
<http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=15548>
Randycornetta, 3 February, 2009. “Nintendo training 1991” In Youtube, accessed 2
May 2010, from
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYjgHLFZMa0&feature=player_embedde>
Rus Mclaughin, 8 November, 2007.” IGN Presents The History of Super Mario
Bros.It's-a Mario! A look back at the greatest franchise in gaming.” In IGN,
accessed 1 May 2010, from
<http://au.games.ign.com/articles/833/833615p1.html>
Steven L. Kent, 11 April, 2004. “Nintendo's New Direction,” in game spy, accessed 2
May 2010 from <http://au.gamespy.com/articles/505/505234p1.html>
Tom Goldman, 7 March 2010. “Microsoft: Natal Won't Divert Core Gamer Focus,” in the
Eecapist, accessed 2 May 2010 from<
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/98924-Microsoft-Natal-Wont-Divert-C
ore-Gamer-Focus>
Tom Lvan, 2 September 2009. “Wii Tops console Reliability Study,” in EDGE,
accessed 3 May 2010, from
<http://www.edge-online.com/news/wii-tops-console-reliability-study>
Wolfgang Gruener, 17 July 2009, “Nintendo Wii surrenders market share in weak
game console market,” in TG Daily, accessed 3 May 2010, from
<http://www.tgdaily.com/trendwatch-features/43289-nintendo-wii-surrenders-m
arket-share-in-weak-game-console-market>
Brand Audit: Nintendo
24
Appendix 1 – 2009~2010 Nintendo TV ad
Nintendo Japan TV ad
Ninomiya Kazunari 二宮和也 Wii New Super Mario Bros CM (2009, November)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxD5vvbYyrU
Nanako Matsushima 松嶋菜々子 CM CF Wii fit (2010, February)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp2jASpXVCM
スーパーマリオブラザーズ Wii（大橋のぞみ・生瀬勝久）-Nintendo (2010, April)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLdA1rFSi0w
Brand Audit: Nintendo
25
Nintendo Australian TV ad
Wii TV Ad with Delta Goodrem & Brian McFadden (2009, March)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go0fa4j-c2U
Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver Australian TV Commercial (2010, April)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c20neEsK_H4
Brand Audit: Nintendo
26
Appendix 2 – Questionnaire and Result
This survey was prepared by students enrolled in the brand management course at the
Graduate school of Management, University of Melbourne. We are conducting this
questionnaire to investigate brand equity of a chosen brand. All information you give in this
questionnaire is only for academic use and your feedback is highly appreciated.
1. Which brand first comes to your mind when you think of video games?
2. Which brand first comes to your mind when you think of game console or portable
game console?
3. What are the brands coming to your mind when you think of game console or
portable game console?
Brand Audit: Nintendo
27
Please answer following questions for Nintendo products.
(Wii, NDS, NDSL, NDSi and Nintendo’s games)
4. When you think of the brand name Nintendo, please write down all the thoughts
that come to your mind?
5. In what occasion would you use Nintendo’s products and play games?
6. What do you like the best about the brand?
7. What are the disadvantages of the brand?
Image Strongly disagree1234567 Strongly agree
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Do not know
8. It is fashionable to use Nintendo products.
9. Using Nintendo's products can show my personal
style.
10. Nintendo is a unique brand.
11. Nintendo is a classic brand.
Performance Strongly disagree1234567 Strongly
agree
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Do not know
12. Nintendo’s products have good style and design.
13. Nintendo’s products are durable.
14. Nintendo’s products are multifunctional.
15. Nintendo’s products are innovative.
16. Nintendo’s products are user-friendly.
17. Nintendo’s products are high-tech products.
Brand Audit: Nintendo
28
Personal Information
Gender Male Female
Age 20 and below 21-30 31-40 41-50 51+
Your Current Employment status is?
Full time employment Part time employment Student
Other _________
Feelings Strongly disagree1234567 Strongly agree
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Do not know
18. I feel excited to use Nintendo’s products.
19. It’s fun to use Nintendo’s products
20. It’s cool to use Nintendo’s products.
21. Using Nintendo’s products can bring me good
memory.
22. I grow up with Nintendo.
23. After using Nintendo’s product, I like Nintendo more.
Judgments Strongly disagree1234567 Strongly agree
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Do not know
24. I think that Nintendo’s product has advantages that
other brands cannot offer.
25. I trust the brand of Nintendo.
26. Nintendo’s products are of good quality.
Resonance Strongly disagree1234567 Strongly agree
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Do not know
27. I would recommend other people to buy Nintendo’s
product.
28. If I were going to purchase again, I would still
purchase Nintendo’s products.
Thank you for answering this questionnaire.
Brand Audit: Nintendo
29
Questionnaire Result
Brand imagery
It is fashionable to use Nintendo products.
1
0%
2
10%
3
3%
4
26%
5
10%
6
35%
7
13%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Nintendo is a unique brand.
1
3%
2
13%
3
6%4
10%
5
10%
6
39%
7
19%
Do not know
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Using Nintendo's products can show
my personal style.1
6%2
13%
3
16%
4
20%
5
13%
6
19%
7
10%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
30
Brand imagery
Brand Performance
Nintendo is a classic brand.1
3%2
3%3
3%4
10%
5
13%
6
39%
7
29%
Do not know
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Nintendo’s products are durable.1
0%
2
0%3
10%
4
19%
5
19%6
23%
7
19%
Do not know
10%1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Nintendo’s products are innovative.1
3%
2
0%
3
3%4
10%5
10%
6
48%
7
23%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
31
Brand Performance
Nintendo’s products have good style
and design.
1
0%
2
6%
3
6%
4
13%
5
6%
6
43%
7
23%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Nintendo’s products are user
friendly.
1
0%
2
3%
3
6%
4
3%
5
30%
6
29%
7
26%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Nintendo’s products are
multifunctional.1
0%2
6%3
6%
4
16%
5
27%
6
26%
7
13%
Do not know
6%1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
32
Brand Performance
Brand feeling
Nintendo’s products are high-tech
products.1
0%
2
3%
3
6%
4
16%5
33%
6
23%
7
19%
Do not know
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
It’s fun to use Nintendo’s products
1
3%2
0%3
6% 4
10%
5
19%
6
33%
7
26%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
I grow up with Nintendo.
1
29%
2
3%
3
6%
4
3%
5
23%6
10%
7
23%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
33
Brand feeling
I feel excited to use Nintendo’s
products.1
3%
2
6%
3
6%
4
27%
5
16%
6
33%
7
6%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
After using Nintendo’s product, I
like Nintendo more.
1
6%
2
3%3
13%4
20%
5
16%
6
19%
7
10%
Do not know
13%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
It’s cool to use Nintendo’s products.
1
3%
2
3%
3
16%
4
13%
5
23%
6
23%
7
16%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
34
Brand feeling
Brand Judgments
Using Nintendo’s products can bring
me good memory.
1
10%
2
6%
3
3%
4
16%
5
10%
6
19%
7
33%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
I trust the brand of Nintendo.1
0%
2
3%3
3%
4
23%
5
23%
6
35%
7
10%
Do not know
3%1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Nintendo’s products are of good
quality. 1
0%2
6%3
3%
4
16%
5
10%
6
46%
7
16%
Do not know
3%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
35
Brand Judgments
Brand Resonance
I think that Nintendo’s product has advantages that other
brands cannot offer.
1
4%2
7%3
11%
4
14%
5
18%
6
21%7
25%
Do not know
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
I would recommend other people to
buy Nintendo’s product.1
0%2
10% 3
3%
4
16%
5
26%
6
23%
7
16%
Do not know
6%1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
If I were going to purchase again, I would
still purchase Nintendo’s products.1
6%2
3%3
3%
4
33%
5
20%
6
16%
7
13%
Do not know
6%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do not know
Brand Audit: Nintendo
36
Appendix 3 – Nintendo 2008 Annual Report
Excerpt from Nintendo 2008 Annual Reports, retrieved from:
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2008/annual0803e.pdf
Brand Audit: Nintendo
37
Revenue and Expenses
With respect to sales by business category within the electronic entertainment
products division, “Nintendo DS” hardware continued to enjoy robust sales worldwide,
selling a total of 30.31 million units during the fiscal year (70.6 million units life-to-date).
“Nintendo DS” software made a strong contribution to sales in the category. For example,
“Pokémon Diamond and Pearl” which were released overseas after the launch in Japan last
fiscal year, sold the combined total of 9.56 million units worldwide (14.77 million units
life-to-date). In addition, both “Brain age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!” and the sequel
version “Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!” performed well, reaching the
combined total of 11.81 million units (23.81 million units life-todate). Furthermore, new
release titles such as “Mario Party DS” and “The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass”, as
well as the long seller titles such as “Nintendogs” series and “New Super Mario Bros.”,
recorded strong sales. As a result, Nintendo DS continued to enjoy favorable software sales
as the number of million-seller titles life-to-date (licensee titles included) increased from 30
to 57 compared with that of the last fiscal year.
In the console business, “Wii” hardware, which was launched last fiscal year, sold a
total of 18.61 million units worldwide (24.45 million units life-to-date). As for “Wii” software,
“Wii Fit”, (which uses the “Wii Balance Board” to assist you and your family members to
achieve improved fitness while having fun at same time) was launched in Japan, selling a
total of 1.85 million units. “Super Smash Bros. Brawl”, (which is the latest action game
offering battle competition through the internet), was launched in Japan and the U.S., selling
a total of 1.61 million units, and 3.24 million units, respectively. In addition, “Wii Sports” and
“Wii Play”, released in the previous fiscal year and “Super Mario Galaxy” and “Mario Party 8”,
have enjoyed favorable sales as well. These titles contributed to a significant rise in console
software sales in the fiscal year and the number of million-seller titles life-todate (licensee
titles included) increased from 5 to 26 compared with that of the last fiscal year.
As a result, net sales in the electronic entertainment products division were 1,668.7
billion yen (US$16,687 million) increased by 73.0 percent from the previous fiscal year, while
sales in the other products division (playing cards, karuta, etc.) were 3.6 billion yen (US$36
million) increased by 68.5 percent from the previous fiscal year.
Brand Audit: Nintendo
38
Appendix 4 – Slogans
Here are the slogans on Nintendo (Slogans that Nintendo has used other than in English are
also included):
Now you're playing with power. (NES, 1985)
Now you're playing with power. Super power. (SNES, 1991)
Now you're playing with portable power. (Game Boy)
Play it loud! (SNES, 1994)
3-D game for a 3-D World (Virtual Boy)
Get into it! (Game Boy Color, 1998)
Vous n'en reviendrez pas (N64, France 1998)
Feel Everything Everywhere (Game Boy Color, Europe 1999)
Welcome to the future (N64, Europe 1999)
Change the System (N64)
Get N or get out. (N64)
Life, Advanced. (Game Boy Advance, 2001)
La vie est un jeu (GameCube, France 2002)
Gaming 24:7 (Europe 2002)
Touching Is Good. (Nintendo DS)
Touch Me!"Touchez-moi!" (DS, 2005)
Pick up and play (DS, Europe 2005)
Open up and play (DS, Europe 2005)
Pour changer (Wii, France 2006)
Playing = Believing (Wii, 2006)
Wii would like to play. (wii)
Who are you? (Etats-Unis)
Too much fun. (Canada)
What will you and i do? (Nintendo DSi, 2009-present)
Source: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nintendo