Nintendo
2023-02-28
How We Helped Nintendo Connect with UK Audiences
In this multi-platform brand awareness campaign we created for Nintendo, #SetPlaytimeFree, we set out to show the power of simple, clean execution. Here is how we went about creating a campaign that was visually enticing, emotionally engaging, and true to the Nintendo brand.
Context
After a spike in gaming activity driven by a year of lockdowns and COVID restrictions, as Summer 2021 approached, we saw that audiences were ready to get back outside again and start socialising with friends in real life — which would take a considerable amount of time away from Nintendo & gaming in general.
We looked at how we could combine this cultural insight with the Nintendo Switch’s unique offering of AAA portable gaming for their upcoming brand campaign. This is how we arrived at #SetPlaytimeFree.
#SetPlaytimeFree is campaign that highlights the flexibility of the Nintendo Switch and how it’s uniquely positioned to fit into, and enhance, the Summer plans of a variety of our audiences.
The Plan
From the start, this campaign was created specifically for use in the UK - allowing us to maximise cultural relevance and brand impact. Showing the places and people of the UK, we set out to create two main TV ads that were set up to resonate deeply with local audiences, and then craft executions promoting the campaign across different mediums.
The Strategy
As part of this project, we defined the campaign strategy and crystallised the creative approach. On a strategic level, we decided to target Nintendo’s two main audience segments separately (young adult and family). This allowed us to make each ad as enticing as possible and maximise effectiveness.
The central idea of the ads was simple, showing the Nintendo Switch as a fun enabler for quality family time, and at the centre of chill out time with friends.
The Execution
Once we settled upon the core idea of the campaign, we then executed it across multiple touchpoints, including TV, OOH, web, social, and through influencers. We worked with a media partner to tailor the creative executions to each media placement, ensuring that it looked seamless. By creating a single tagline present across all executions, we also unified the campaign conceptually.