I don't think the focus here should be on the fact that the actress in the Japanese ad is attractive (which she is), but the fact that the NA ads limit their target to kids and are often generic and unimaginative.  The Pikmin 3 commercial comparison that Soundwave showed earlier in the thread is a prime example of this:  The UK ad is incredibly appealing, the NA ad is lame.

Then there's that great ad for Wii Sports Club featuring Andre Agassi for the UK which I'm sure we'll never see here in the States - same way we never got those great UK commercials for Zelda OoT3D that featured Robin and Zelda Williams.

The SM3DW ad for NA is ok at least, but if that's the direction they wanted to go it would have been better suited showing a family (adults and kids/teens) playing together, IMO.

Still, beggars can't be choosers I guess.  At least NA is actually getting a TV spot for SM3DW unlike The Wonderful 101...

Absolutely right.

The WIi strategy was supposed to be games for everybody. No demographic left behind. What the hell happened to that vision?

Third parties turned it into the "casual console"

Easy
American = COD, BF, other easy high gaphical corridor games
COD, BF = Casual audience
Casual audience = kids, kiddy people

Go to iSpot.tv look at some recent Nintendo ads.

The following networks Nintendo games are advertised on

Kids':

Nick
NickToons
Cartoon Network
Disney XD

Commercials included - Lego City, Pikmin 3, Pokémon X & Y, Mario games, DKCR

Non kids:

FX
Adult Swim
Nick @ Nite
ABC
ABC Family
Comedy Central
TBS
VH1

Commercials included - Super Mario 3D World, Fire Emblem Awakening, Kid Icarus Uprising, Wii U family commercial, 3DS 2012 holiday commercial, Zelda: ALBW, SiNG Party, Play as You are ads

As you can see, Nintendo commercials bounce back & forth between Kids & adults networks. And they're actually advertised at adults more often. The people they only advertise towards kids are just misinformed.

I watch programs on FX, Adult Swim and Comedy Central... can't really call those mature broadcasts nor have I seen Nintendo commercials with decent runs compared to other companies. Not to mention, the rest of that list is pretty off target for the vast majority of gamers in general.

ABC Family is pretty much filled with CW type dramas, VH1 over blown with reality tv and Nick @ Nite is where you go to watch TV shows that are over 15 years old when nothing else is on. Sort of a good mix if you are aiming at old and young female viewers but Nintendo's commercials don't stay in rotation long enough nor are memorable in general to make impressions on people at least in the US territories.

They could be better, they should be better but it seems like the folks at NoA don't know how to balance their marketing offering exciting commercials for some games targeting the traditional gamer while offering commercials aimed at families and more casual gamers.

On the original topic, at least the Japanese ad hit something that sells in Japan (attractive "cutesy" women), the US ad seems aimed at family but doesn't bring anything to make it memorable in terms of showing off crazy or exciting things in the game or just plain comedy (like the previous Wii U ads unfortunately) and thus looks worst in comparison.

I don't get why Nintendo seems stuck in this mode when it comes to the Wii U, its obvious primarily targetting families will get you some sales but it is hurting your brand in the long run given how much they keep doing such.

Don't see why they'd advertise to any one demographic when they should be advertising to as many as possible. I mean, that's just common sense.

I don't think North American audiences would like the Japanese one. She kind of comes across like Cruella DaVille hurting animals - the tone and voice doesn't help either. Plus she looks so all alone.

My question about the North America one - do they really blow on it? It doesn't make the game appealing much either and is a bit confusing, but I would like the ability to make furniture levitate!

Levitating furniture would be freaking cool!

Oh, now I am sad.

That dad, ugh, couldn't be any more cheezy if he was actually made from velveeta. (US fake processed cheese spread.)