What types of people (psychographics) are interested in the new Nintendo Switch that weren't heavy gamers before?

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What types of people (psychographics) are interested in the new Nintendo Switch that weren't heavy gamers before?

Greetings! Thank you for your request for information on the types of people (psychographics) who are interested in the new Nintendo Switch that were not previously heavy gamers. The most useful resources in this research were Wired, Forbes, and socialmarketing.org. The short version is that Nintendo is focusing its marketing on busy adults wjp are loyal to the brand, rather than in bringing new gamers to the system. Analysts point to the high price-tag of the system as a drawback for casual gamers. Given this focus on brand loyalty rather than new gamers, I will present the psychographics of the the targeted audience. Please note, given that the platform does not go on sale until March, time will tell if people who aren't currently heavy gamers come to the system. Please continue below for a deep dive of my findings.

HOW IT'S BEING MARKETED
Nintendo is heavily focusing its marketing strategy on busy adults. This works on the premise that busy adults do not traditionally have the time to play long console based games. The Switch, being a hybrid platform, gives those busy adults the ability to play console based games while on the move. Jordan Jones describes his excitement for the new platform as being reminiscent of playing the Classic Nintendo as a kid. Value Walk cites the fact that Nintendo's teaser videos "heavily feature people in their 20s-30s". Part of what is different in Nintendo's marketing strategy is that in the past, they have made a concerted effort to attract new gamers; this does not appear to be the case with the Switch. In opposition to the 2006 launch of the Wii, Nintendo is focusing on what is being termed "'Nintendo gamers' - die-hard aficionados of its franchises."

PSYCHOGRAPHICS OF THE TARGET AUDIENCE
The marketing focus of Nintendo on those in their 20's and 30's shows that we need to examine the psychographics of Generation X and Generation Y/Millennials. Individuals in Generation X are both highly skeptical and highly educated. The Pew Research Center describes them as "savvy, skeptical and self-reliant". Generation Y/Millennials are known for their sophistication and tech savvy. It should be noted that those in Generation Y tend to be less brand loyal than their predecessors, possibly a problem to the Switch being marketed on a premise of brand loyalty.

Content marketing consultant Brian Honigman has made some fascinating observations about this target audience:
-> 40% of males and 33% of females in the 18 to 34 year old age group have stated that they "would buy everything online if they could." (This reflects the tech savvy of the group).
-> Millennials want a two way conversation about customer feedback.
-> Millennial parents are very conscientious about price. (This may impact sales of the Switch, which is slated to cost about $400.)
-> Millennials are focused on social good, with 50% of millennial parents saying "they try to buy products that support causes or charities."

Another marketing specialist, Emily Culclasure, has warned that Millennials should not be treated as a demographic, but as a psychographic, as they are not a uniform group. They want highly customized messages, but have short attention spans. She warns marketers to "sell experiences, not products" to this group. The values important to this group include: "happiness, diversity, social responsibility, trust, etc."

CONCLUSION
To wrap it up, analysts predict that new gamers are not likely to flock to the Nintendo Switch, with its high price being a deterrent. Aligning with this prediction, Nintendo is focusing its marketing strategy on those falling in the Generation X and Generation Y/Millennial categories, banking on brand loyalty.

Thank you for using Wonder! It is my sincere hope that this information has been useful to you in your research. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any additional assistance.

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