General Research
- Wii Party released on Nintendo Wii: 25/10/2010
- Developer/institution created by Wii Party: Nintendo SPD
- Copies sold since game released: 7.94 million
Broadcast
1. What are the key conventions of a video game TV advert? What would you expect to see in most video game TV adverts?
The key conventions of video game TV adverts are:
- Game Play
- Celebrity Involvement
- Age rating
- Release date
- Slogan
- Text on screen
- Title
- Platform Availability
- Quote's/ratings
- Audio - (In game audio)
- Logo - (Branding,Jingle)
- Game cover
- Voice Over
- Developers logo/name
2. How many of the key conventions you have listed above appear in the Wii Party TV adverts? List them with specific details from the Wii Party adverts.
In the TV adverts, key conventions used from the list above are:
- Game Cover - Shown at the end of the clip, so that the audience know what the packaging looks like if they were to go out and buy it or order it online.
- Game Play - The Wii Party games are being played showing the audience how much fun it can be.
- Celebrity Involvement - The Redknapp family,JLS,Girls Aloud were all in a advert for Nintendo Wii Party
- Audio - There is in game audio when the JLS boys are playing the games an example is the 'Hide and hunt' game at which point we could hear the timer as the boys were trying to find the remote controls.
3.What is the typical setting for Wii Party TV adverts? Why is that setting used?
The typical setting is in a family home, this setting was used because the Wii Party game is targeted at families and group playable entertainment.
4.How might the setting appeal to families?
The typical family home setting would appeal to families because it's on their doorsteps,usually in the living room which emphasises the fact that everyone is welcome to play and have fun. This is due to the fact that the living room doesn't actually belong to one specific person.
5.What celebrities do the adverts feature?
A variety of celebrities feature in the Wii Party adverts, from the adverts that I have watched the featuring celebrities are the Redknapp family and the boy band JLS.
6.What do you notice about the celebrities' costume and make-up?
Their clothing is casual and the make up is simple, which helps emphasise that the game is all about friends & family just messing around with each other having fun.
7.Why do you think those particular celebrities were chosen?
I think the Redknapp family were chosen because Wii Party is a game which is targeted families.This is also just the same with JLS because the Wii Party game is also generally targeted groups of friends.
8.What do the celebrities suggest about the Wii Party target audience?
They suggest that the game is a friendly game openly suitable for a wide target audience whatever religion,age or gender you may be.
9.What else can you learn about the Wii Party target audience from the TV adverts? Suggest a demographic profile: gender, age, social class etc.
I can learn that it encourages family and friends to play together reinforcing the idea of team work to succeed at a task. Below is what I think a possible demographic profile could be for the Wii Party target audience.
Possible Demographic profile
- Gender:Females 50% & Males 50% - Colour scheme looks like it targets females but the Wii Party game is a family & gender neutral game.
- Age:6-50 years over age - The game is of wide target audience.
- Social Class - I don't think there is a specific social class for Wii Party as it is and always has been open gaming to a wide target audience.
10.What audience pleasures do the Wii Party TV adverts offer to viewers? Refer to Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory when answering this question.
Print
1.Find a Wii party review from a magazine or newspaper. What does the review suggest about the target audience for the game?
This review says that the target audience is very wide which allows all ages to have fun and be creative in many different ways.
2. Is the review positive or negative about the game? Copy and paste one quote from the review to support this view.
The above review is positive about Wii Party, one quote from it to support this would be "Unlike other party games (aka Mario Party 8) this game doesn't only have one game mode but a lot!!!". This supports it because the writer is saying that they enjoy it as it has multiple games all compacted into one disc.
3.Do you think magazines reviews are effective in promoting the game to Wii Party's target audience?
Yes, magazine reviews are effective in promoting the game to Wii Party target audience because they allow individuals to share their thoughts about the game and updates about new game modes/sections are available to use. This is allowing people to interact with each other in the world of gaming.
E - Media
1. Visit the Wii Party website. How does it attract and maintain the interest of a Wii Party fan?
The Wii Party website attracts and maintains the interest of a Wii party fan because it has game packaging advertised on the front page along with a variety of inviting colours appealing to both genders. As well as this, it has a video gallery with players Wii Party invites and game play videos. It also attracts a fans attention because it caters for multiple languages. Below is a screen grab of the video gallery so you can see the types of videos that are available.
2.What do you notice about the people in the scrolling central image featured on the website?
The people in the images are all either family or friends playing together which is emphasising the target of the Wii party game. It also reminds us that it is all about having fun and enjoying ourselves.
3. How many times can you find the words 'friends' or family used on the official website? Why do you think the website emphasises this aspect of the game?
The words family or friends is used on the website 10+ times. This emphasises that the game is all about having fun and enjoying yourself with your family and friends in your own atmosphere without having to empty out the wallet.
4.What is the colour scheme for the website? What does this suggest about the target audience?
The website is made up of a variety of bright and vibrate colours which are immediately appealing to the target audience eye. In terms of the target audience I think that although it seems like it targets a large audience of girls the blues,yellows,and greens target a audience of boys as well.
5.Look at the 'Video Gallery'on the official website.What do the 'Invitation' videos suggest about the Wii Party target audience?
6.How many 'likes' has the Wii Party/Wii Party U Facebook wall had?
7. How does the Wii Party Facebook wall cross - promote other Nintendo games? Find three examples and explain why they appeal to the Wii Party target audience.
This screen shot that I found is cross promoting other Nintendo games as it is informing players about the latest Nintendo Wii 'Animal Crossing : New Leaf ' game updates.This post appeals to the target audience because it is a quick and simple update which also shows the game packaging so a potentially buying customer knows what it looks like.
This second post I have found cross promotes other Nintendo games because it asking people for there opinions towards 'Call of Duty Ghosts' coming to Wii U. It is asking for people's opinions but at the same time it promotes the possibility of Call of Duty Ghosts coming to Wii U and the Wii console itself.
This final post that I found on the Facebook Wall cross promotes other Nintendo games, because it has 'Super Mario Bros' game cover on it and talks about the Chicago midnight launch. This is also getting other players involved in what is going on because the writer behind this post has talked about the launch and given people a link where they can track his/her progress leading up to it.
8.Wii Party does not have such a strong presence on other social networking sites.Why do you think this is?
I think Wii Party doesn't have a strong presence on other social networking sites because the target audience is of a wide young kids to older adults range who may not use social networking as much as fans of FIFA 14 might.
9.Which platform do you think is strongest in promoting Wii Party to it's target audience broadcast,print,e-media? Why?
I think the best platform to promote Wii Party on to its target audience would be broadcast because that includes TV which is when families will be sitting together and be able to view adverts about Wii Party.
