Super Mario Run - Digital Marketing

Nintendo wants to target the ever growing big market of mobile games through its newest offering of “Super Mario Run” on IOS and Android platforms. The Super Mario game is not a new concept, but this game is released for the first time as a mobile app. Earlier this year, the release of the Pokémon Go app took the world by storm. The app quickly became the most downloaded app in history, and commanded a record audience of 45 million daily players. However Super Mario Run broke all records with its release on iTunes, Apple's platform in mid Dec 2016 with 2.65 Million downloads on the first day itself. Nintendo offered players to stop by their local Apple store before launch to try the game. Apple sold its billionth iPhone summer of 2017, leaving the app available to every user. This app not only boosted sales, but also introduced new people and the younger generation to the company, as well as its iconic characters. Nintendo increased its brand awareness among mobile app users. However, faced negative feedback from older generation of gamers on game features. In order to leverage current offerings and successfully expand into the mobile gaming industry this digital marketing plan provides suggestions on Nintendo's, Super Mario Run mobile game.

1. MKT 556
Players
Anika Bobb
Christina Lee
Hanna Ma
Kapil Singal
Nicole Wong

The Future Of Nintendo

2. 01. Background
Mid December 2016
launch
2.85 million
downloads on Apple
app store
March 23 2017
Android launch
Introduced younger
generation to brand
But low interest
compared to past
successors
Anticipated buzz for
Mario mobile game by
older Nintendo fans
2

3. 50M Downloads
in 1
st
Week
10M Downloads
in 1
st
Week
25
50
75
100
100
Google Trends
Android
iOS
02. iOS and Android Launch

4. 4
iOS Android
●Nintendo offered players to stop by their
local Apple store to try the game before it’s
released

●Nintendo leveraged on the 1 billion mark of
the iPhone sales

●Tie up with Apple for a promotion on iTunes
on the day of release

●Trailer was launched ahead of time on
social media and Youtube

●Excellent media coverage
●Pre-registration for a notification of Android
version

●Launched in 150 countries

●Social Media, blogs and press releases for
awareness

02. iOS and Android Launch (cont’d)

5. 03. Issues From Initial Launch


Low Conversion
Rate

-Free to download and
$9.99 to unlock the whole
game, only 3% conversion
rate

-On App Store, most games
are either entirely free or
between $1-$3

-Challenges of premium
model are well-documented
by various apps



Change in Target
Audience

-Millennials are Super Mario
Run’s primary audience, who
are not nostalgic enough
compared to previous
generation

-Significant portion of female
target in the age group of
10-35 years



No ongoing revenue

-Most games in App Store or
Google Play are structured
around continuous buy-ins
which requires gamers to
spend real-world money

-Super Mario Run’s Users
pay one time fee of $9.99
only-no ongoing revenue

5


Negative Feedback
& Customer
Engagement

-Rated 2.12 stars on App
Store review

-Customer engagement for
Apple and Android users
limited

-Revisions in pricing and
game models can yield
positive customer
satisfaction and feedback

6. 03. Issues From Initial Launch


Change in Target
Audience

-Millennials is Super Mario Run’s
primary audience, who are not
nostalgic enough compared to
previous generation

-Significant portion of female
target in the age group of 10-35
years

6
Females
Millennials

7. 03. Issues From Initial Launch


Low Conversion
Rate

-Free to download and
$9.99 to unlock the whole
game, only 3% conversion
rate

-On App Store, most games
are either entirely free or
between $1-$3

-Challenges of premium
model are well-documented
by various apps



Change in Target
Audience

-Millennials are Super Mario
Run’s primary audience, who
are not nostalgic enough
compared to previous
generation

-Significant portion of female
target in the age group of
10-35 years



No ongoing revenue

-Most games in App Store or
Google Play are structured
around continuous buy-ins
which requires gamers to
spend real-world money

-Super Mario Run’s Users
pay one time fee of $9.99
only-no ongoing revenue

7


Negative Feedback
& Customer
Engagement

-Rated 2.12 stars on App
Store review

-Customer engagement for
Apple and Android users
limited

-Revisions in pricing and
game models can yield
positive customer
satisfaction and feedback

8. 04. Strategies for “Low Conversion Rate”
8


PR on Premium
-Focus on experience than
price
-Super Mario Run campaign


Referral codes
-Generate word-of-mouth
-Acquire new users
-Reward for unlocking stages



Super Mario Run v2.0
-Issuing new/updated
versions of the app
-Create an app franchise
-Keep users interested
and motivated

-Attract loyalists

-More downloads/traffic


-Additional expenses

-No direct monetary
incentive to users

-Cannibalization
-Use of referral codes

-App downloads/installs

-CTR and Impressions

9. 04. Strategies for “No Ongoing Revenue”
9


Offers
-Give users the ability to unlock the game
at a discounted rate
-Only give it during specialize/exclusive
and holidays offers


In-app purchases
-Buy virtual money
-Buy more lives, power-ups, and more
-Continuous flow of
revenue

-Easy to implement and
track

-Only short-term effects

-Initial costs

-Attract non-loyal, price
sensitive users

-Activated offers

-In-app purchases

10. 04. Strategies for “Change in Target Audience”
10
Millennials Nintendo Gamers Females
-Social media
-App store optimization
-Nintendo Network
-Search engine optimization
-Forums/Online communities

-Market as gender neutral
on social media
-Character switch

-Microtargeting

-Attract long-term, loyal
users

-Time consuming

-Costly

-CTR and Impressions

-Search rankings

11. 04. Strategies for “Customer Engagement”
11


Social Media & WOM
-Two types of customers: F2P & paying
-Social Media discussion forums and
microblogging for both customers


Personalize Your Game
-Profile landing page
-Updates & phases offer different game
settings
-Long-term relationships

-Personalization

-Sharing of information

-C2C interaction

-Developmental cost

-Managing relationship

-‘Right’ platform


-Tweets > Followers > Retweets

-Fans/Shares > Comments > Posts

-Reviews > Ratings > Users

12. Thank You!