When we talk about thinking "outside the box", or when we think of the "experience", this often means that we are trying to make a break with current types and modes of thinking. On the creative front, this means playing with expectation, changing the framing of a story, transforming a consumer’s sense of control or mastery. I often think about this in terms of the P-L-A-Y framework:
P — for Power
- Demanding of attention
- Testing limits (boundaries around behaviour, responsibility etc)
- Controlling the controllable
- Belonging
L — for learning and curiosity
- Skills development
- Negotiation
A — for adventure
- Exploring an ever changing world
- Actively making the world a better place
Y — the yelp of surprise and delight
- Recognition and reward
- Self expression
As brands continue to investigate the changing consumer and business landscape prompted by the ever-increasing adoption of social (and mobile) media, strategists need to also consider the idea of “kidsperience”.
Nintendo appear to be following a similar path in their efforts to differentiate their product in the highly competitive gaming console market. As Scott Weisbrod points out, Nintendo are in search of a Blue Ocean. His competitive strategy canvas shows exactly how the positioning is being planned. But the question remains – how does this play out in their branding and advertising works? Take a look here. NO … wait, really, click through – and then come back and share your thoughts. I am fascinated to know.
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Actually Gavin, I’m not sure that I would agree with you. Yes, the Wario thing is excellent. In fact, it’s bloody brilliant but it’s totally Wario and is completely in line with Nintendo’s long term strategy for him.
Wario has always done this kind of stuff – it’s what he calls “Wario time”.
The blue ocean scenario appears at first glance to make perfect sense but it isn’t quite right. Nintendo are only interested in 1 thing – game play. It has taken them over 100 years to create the game play experience that achieves their own goal.
I could go on about this for ages, but I take a break and let others have a go. I’ll join in again tomorrow.
Marcus … thanks for dipping in. Do you think the other elements of the Nintendo strategy that Scott has pulled together are accidental? I am always interested in the way that serendipitous innovation occurs across a business — or even moreso, when it doesn’t.
Yes, to a certain degree I’m sure certain elements – that is the say; the alignment of particular elements/events were accidental.
I would argue that Nintendo’s blue ocean strategy really only applies to how they present the hardware, the wii and the ds and their ‘new’ software which allows ‘new’ audiences to play on games consoles such as their brain training titles and wii fit. For a lot of the original nintendo software such as wario, it infact does not sit within the blue ocean strategy and instead targets specific game players- in this case original wario gamers.