For me, Nintendo's problem with advertising Wii U games is the fact that they are for the Wii U.

Regarding Wonderful 101, I have no idea what they were thinking. I can't see how they were expecting a profit on a game like that, especially this early in the console's life cycle.

What they did the other day... Put out a press release detailing the new hardware/price cut/release dates. The gaming media then put up stories reporting on it.

What they do with Nintendo Directs... Put out a video detailing whatever it is they're saying. The gaming media then put up stories reporting on it.

Vast differences right there.

Food for thought: Maybe they weren't?

I totally believe their directs are watched by Non Wii U/3DS owners. Platform jealousy makes people do crazy things.

Like ask for a new IP then call it a failure before it even launches world wide

similar experience here downunder, they showed disney infinity commercial showcasing the wii U version, at the end only the Nintendo box arts were shown. Too bad the economy is slow in sydney everything is to expensive

Its not advertising to them or anyone else.

Its a way to deliver info directly to their core customer base and media outlets. Basically an robust and better media release.

As an example, the 2DS and price cut info from the other day would have been far better received had it come out in a ND. People would have understood the 2DS purpose and potential better than the release and Q/A rerelease of info throughout day.

However, Nintendo knows they have to follow these, as any media release, up with actual commercials for the mass market who doesn't pay attention to these more core oriented media outlets.

Hence you have all these FB/TW posts on all this stuff as well as Nintendo experience features at Simon malls all across the US throughout rest of year. I also saw a Pikmin3 and W101 commercial recently and I'm sure as year goes on these as well as other games will become greater.

This, just when I think I have Nintendo figured out they go and announce some of their best (at least from a business perspective) announcements of the year (new cheaper 3DS model and Wii U Price drop + game release dates) outside of a ND - weird.

I think what people just refuse to see is that Nintendo is a fiercely conservitive company - it's one of their biggest weaknesses but its also the reason they have billions in the bank. Say you release a game as Nintendo with no advertising and it sells 500,000 copies, now with advertising you could probably increase that number but the extent of the increase is not definable as sometimes advertising is more effective than other times, etc. They get scared and decide to not risk as much advertising money and take the 'safe' bet and don't advertise much at all. It's an achilles heel of theirs but it also keeps them from doing things like releasing a game with so much hype and advertising that it needs 4 million+ sales to make a profit and even though it sells like 3 million it might not get a sequel because it didn't make a profit.

They also need to learn to make new IP.

And go third party

I recall seeing a lot of ads for Other M and Skyward Sword...
Even Kid Icarus got a fair amount of TV advertising (that I saw at least)...
Any advertising since has only been on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network (not Adult Swim)...
They may know what they want to target, but they can't do so effectively...
As niche as Wonderful 101 might be, the characters are charming enough to get the consumer's attention...
But I don't even expect to see an ad while watching cartoons...

That's possible, certainly, but then why go to all of the trouble to actual publish the game themselves if they weren't expecting to make money on it?