Video Games & Marketing: The SNES Mini Retro Commercial is Brilliant

In a short span of time since the Switch reveal, Nintendo is once again at the forefront of the gaming industry. Not only are they selling out every product they release but after several years, the company is once again considered “cool”. A lot of that has to do with Nintendo’s marketing drive for both the Switch and its other products including the Super Nintendo Classic Edition. Nintendo has been focusing so heavily on advertising and doing such a good job marketing their products that it led the industry with an estimated $6.6 million in spending for seven spots that aired over 2,500 times in the month of June alone, and racked up 283.3 million TV ad impressions.

The branding and marketing of recent Nintendo products have been Nintendo’s best, most effective marketing campaign in ages and the Super NES Classic has been a branding home run from the start. Yes, it’s true that pre-orders of the system are most likely selling out within minutes since fans expect yet another shortage of supply, but regardless, the ad spots created for the newest mini console are nothing short of brilliant – and the recent trailer which mimics the ’90s feel of classic Nintendo advertising is the best yet.

Nintendo’s marketing in the 80’s and early 90’s was far different than what we had during the Wii and Wii U days and despite the fact that Nintendo is primarily known as a family-friendly company, the marketing back in the day constantly pushed boundaries and more often than not, had parents furious. In short, the marketing for the company’s earlier consoles was considered both cool and creative and so it’s refreshing to see the Big N return to its roots and move away from the dull and uninspiring ads it made for both the Wii and Wii U.

Throwback ads like these can offer us a glimpse into the entire aesthetic of an era, revealing not just what games teens might have been clamoring for at the time, but how they wanted those games marketed to them. While the latest commercial for the Super NES Mini isn’t by any means as edgy as some of the infamous Nintendo ads of the 90’s, it does capture the tone and feel of Nintendo’s early days with its retro soundtrack, bright colors, “now you’re playing with power” slogan and choice of font. You also have to appreciate the opening segment, a 30-second short film in itself which features a homemade Frankenstein-like laboratory built to shrink the Super Nintendo down to the size of your palm. All in all, this is one of the best commercials of 2017, gaming or otherwise. Enjoy!