Nestlé Joins Gaming World to Sell Water
'Active Life'/Aquapod Deal Focuses on Healthier Choices for Children
LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- In a clear shift in marketing strategy for a consumer brand aligning with a video-game title, Nestlé Waters' Aquapod (a natural spring water that appeals to kids with its rocket-shaped bottle) has signed on as a strategic partner for the launch of "Active Life: Outdoor Challenge." The title is a casual video game for the Nintendo Wii that Namco/Bandai will launch in September.
Torres' challenge: How to get children to prefer water after spending billions marketing soda.
In an unusually strong commitment to a casual game, Namco is readying half a million copies for sale by the end of the year.
Until now, consumer brands have been leery of associating too closely with a video game's launch, largely because the titles whose sales make them worth associating with also usually contained so much gore and violence that any marketing benefit would be negated. For instance, while it's true that "Grand Theft Auto IV" sold more than 6 million copies in its first week, it's also a game wherein players can actually burn a hooker to death. Games such as "Grand Theft Auto" and "Halo" also require skill and large investments of time. Casual games are video games developed to be played by anyone, even those who've never played a game before.
No comments:
Post a Comment