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Nintendo Begins "I'm Not A Gamer" Advertising Campaign

News

by Kyle Hilliard on October 02, 2012 at 08:23 PM

32,326 Views

169

As part of its new marketing campaign, Nintendo has decided to create advertisements that show recognizable athletes and actors playing their 3DSs while insisting that they're not gamers.

I understand that appealing to non-gamers is a great way to reach a new audience, but this is kind of confusing to me, especially Gabrielle Douglas' commercial. The gold-medal Olympian is playing New Super Mario Bros. 2, bragging about her high score, but then says, "I'm not a gamer," as if to say, don't worry, I don't actually play these things.

Dianna Agron likes to draw pie.

Check out the ads below, and let us know if they inspire you to buy a 3DS XL.

Email the author Kyle Hilliard, or follow on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and Game Informer.

Filed under: News, Nintendo, olympics, New Super Mario Bros. 2, Dianna Agron, delicious pie, advertisement, Gabrielle Douglas

Comments

sort by date:

by Shadowstar38 Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:27 PM

You're not a gamer? So you were clearly paid to endorse this and the game might now even be good at all? What?
by cowforcow Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:29 PM

So Nintendo's trying to prove that the "myth" that real gamers don't play Nintendo systems is true? Hmm sounds like a misplaced marketing scheme to me.
by - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:30 PM

I'm not sure what "gamer" even means anymore.
by Tim Gruver Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:31 PM

Well, I'm a gamer.
by Dan Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:31 PM

And that's why I'm not into Nintendo nearly as much anymore.
by フェンリル --: Fenrir :-- Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:32 PM

These ads don't "inspire" me to buy a 3DS. Probably because I AM a gamer...I wouldn't be here otherwise.
by Mystt Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:32 PM

Sounds like a colossal ad campaign f-up. This isn't the first time Nintendo has messed up either. I wonder if Reggie actually smiled while watching these ads....?
by Steve the Random Comment Guy Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:32 PM

Does Apple Cider mean the death en masse of apples?
by Harruff Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:33 PM

Stop pushing me away, Nintendo.
by Sonintega Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:34 PM

Next advertisement from Nintendo: We're Not A Video Game Company.
by The Destroyer Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:35 PM

I love Ninty...but what? Who decided to do this?
by Zach Burnside Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:35 PM

Bad campaign... If people don't want games they will just buy a Windows phone. Zing!
by BethesdaWare Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:35 PM

Nintendo is at it again trying to use their casual and "non-gamer" gimmicks to appeal to an audience they don't have. When will Nintendo realize it's better to please the fans they already have instead of chasing after someone they don't have?

This is a large reason why I lost interest in Nintendo after they announced the Wii. They are suffering from a serious identity crisis and will eventually need to figure out who their base is.
by willie Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:37 PM

Yea if I was nintendo I'd focus on the millions of existing gamers lol.
by SamuraiZero Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:39 PM

But you're playing games and you openly admit that you play them quite a bit....then aren't you technically a gamer? Are they implying that being a "gamer" is bad? I don't really get it. I know they are trying to get people who normally game into "gaming" but their wording makes it seem like "hey, you guys should play our games. Oh don't worry, if you play our games, that doesn't mean you are a gamer." Like "gamer" connotes negativity or something.
by Thefatpanthers Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:39 PM

Gamer= a person who plays video games.
by Cru Hunter Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:40 PM

What? It's kinda like saying "I don't watch TV" based off of which TV shows you watch.

This advertisement's logic is as confusing as Lost. http ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcatQSyRK6c
by Robert Hansen Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:46 PM

If you're reading this, you're not their target audience.
by Zero Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:49 PM

Doesn't do anything for me. First, I never recognize 99% of these people, and second, I am a gamer, so I want something that doesn't exist for paid endorsees.
by Zebra3 Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:49 PM

To me it's more like they're saying "I AM Mario." It's sort of like when you hear developers say they want the players to BE the characters in the games. You aren't playing a character (i.e. you aren't a gamer). You ARE a character (i.e. you ARE dragonborn. you ARE Gordon Freeman. you ARE Zer0. etc...).