Nintendo serves up Wii experiential campaign

Nintendo has caught tennis fever with a Wimbledon-themed experiential campaign to promote its Wii console through integrated agency Arc Worldwide.

The Wimbledon-based campaign created by integrated agency Arc Worldwide is running throughout Wimbledon fortnight.

The Wii Sports Tennis game within the Wimbledon Championships will encourage visitors to the Championships to try out the console in special tennis-court style pods.

Appealing to a variety of ages, the activity will be present in different public places.

Wimbledon provides a great platform to trial Wii and the Wii sports game, which comes in the box with the console when purchased.

The visitors to 2007 Wimbledon Championships will be able to put their own serves, backhands and drop-shots to the test by trying out Wii Sports Tennis within one of four tennis court-style Wii pods in the Lawn Tennis Association's Play Tennis zone.

Promotional staff will encourage all people to try their hand at Wii tennis.

Outside the All England Club itself, there will be mobile pods for those in the queue as well as shoppers and visitors to the Wimbledon area.

Arc's campaign spans other environments to target consumers of all ages.

The activity, which also extends to Tesco shoppers and city workers, is designed to boost awareness and trial of the Wii console now that it is once again available in stores.

The tennis-court style pods will be displayed in 48 Tesco foyers nationwide enabling shoppers to have a go.

Promotional staff will hand out information leaflets and run a prize draw to win a Nintendo DS console.

At Covent Garden Market, Nintendo is building a screen the size of a double-decker bus, allowing commuters and passers-by to show off their playing skills using the console on the big screen.

Arc's brief was to drive trial amongst a wide range of ages.

As the first console to feature a wireless motion-sensing controller, which the player simply moves around to control the game, the Wii is designed to be intuitive so that anyone and everyone can play.

The agency therefore targeted activity toward environments with both a high footfall and a variety of age groups.

Rob Lowe, Product Manager at Nintendo, said: "Wimbledon is a uniquely British sporting tournament that appeals to everyone of any age or gender, whether they're into tennis or not.

"Wii appeals to everyone of any age or gender - whether they're into video games or not - it's a superb natural fit.

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