marketing [mahr-ki-ting]
noun
1. The act of buying or selling in market.
2. The totals of activities involved in the transfer of goods from the producer or seller to the consumer or buyer, including advertising, shipping, storing, and selling.
EX. Alright, alright, time for some grown up talk about today's subject; the very first Pokemon commercial.
It begins with the title "Strategy". A clever ploy because of dual-meaning; this trailer is under the guise of teaching you about the "strategy" of enjoying all the new Pokemon media about to slam into your face via television and stores but, more importantly, is about
marketing strategy. Nintendo, 4 Kids Entertainment, and all other companies involved in the
marketing of the Pokemon product, because merchandise is really the key to financial success here, did a genius job from the start to sell children on the idea of Pokemon.
Heck, I remember my first Pokemon experience. I remember getting this book at Walmart, while shopping with my Mom one day (my parents usually bought me a book when we went shopping). I had already taken an interest in animal books, monster books, and some of my earliest books/experiences were anime/manga related (I lived in Japan for two years when I was very little), so Pokemon was an obvious franchise to win my attention. I sat in the car and read the whole thing. I read the book so much that, after becoming ruined by wear and tear, I ended buying a second newer copy with information on Mew, the Elite Four, and Togepi in the back.
The important part of this story is that from the moment I read the book, I was hooked. I bought a few Pokemon cards, some Pokemon toys, and you bet your bottom dollar that I watched all of the episodes on TV, when I could catch them, and bought/played all the games. Heck, I would go so far as to say Pokemon was my first RPG and/or Strategy game experience. Not only had Nintendo won me over, again (they had me with Mario and Zelda), but with Pokemon they made me a loyal and lifelong customer.
If anything can be said of Pokemon; the
marketing was genius. Over fifteen years later and we're still talking about Pokemon, still playing Pokemon games, and still buying Pokemon related products; and the
marketing machine isn't done yet, every time they release a new Pokemon game or show they snag more Pokemon fans. And that's okay. Pokemon has become a staple in childhoods across the world and I think we're happier for it.
P.S. You gotta love the cheese of that commercial.
