I don't know where all this blind faith and promise is coming from for splatoon. Is it just that Nintendo is making a new shooter IP or something I'm missing?

Pikmin will make its way to 2 million.

As for Splatoon, you're forgetting that the characters themselves, the inklings, are, to use the word correcty, becoming rather iconic and widespread through various forms of internet media. Mario is an icon but he's not one that can draw *new* attention, the inklings have a lot of crossover potential into other demographics. Not to mention that there's a chance to really tap into the ~anime~ market with these characters, something that certainly wouldn't do the WiiU harm in Japan and parts of America.

I'm looking forward to it, but I suspect Nintendo won't give it the marketing push it needs to become a major new franchise.

It's already getting heavily marketted...

Nintendo knows what they have on their hands.

Agreed. Nintendo is really putting a lot of effort into this and I still have to hear anyone complain about the game. As far as we know, it's a great game. It won't be flawless, of course, but as of now it's flaws are, seemingly, being shadowed by it's interesting and promising concept. If the game is "flawless" in that sense, it will be praised by the gaming community and eventually become popular enough to become a hit, maybe even becoming one of the most memorable games of gen 8 when it ends.

I'm talking about stuff like a crossover cartoon/anime, heavily push it to parents as the kid friendly alternative to COD, etc.

They're already getting that for free on the internet and Japan...

And they are doing it (pushing it as the colorful alternative) themselves because that was the whole idea behind the title as per E3. Do you expect them to just run commercials that state:

"Tired of browngrayloadsofbloom shooters where your children act like racist dickbags while murdering their friends and untold civilian foreigners?"

"Well its time to experience the Nintendo Difference with Splatoon!"

Splatoon and Kid Icarus should both have animated kids series'. I think Nintendo will become more of an animation/toy-centric media company in the next 10 years anyway (amiibo will be a bigger than hit than their Quality of Life thing IMO and that will lead them down that path).

That said COD is very popular with young boys precisely *because* it isn't family friendly, they want to play what their older brother is playing not the game that's "mom approved".

The "kiddie" image was sealed from the moment they gave it colours other than grey and brown. They may as well make the most of it.

After the direct im definately excited, wasn't after E3. I also hope it will do well as Nintendo needs a succesful new IP to remind them that they can still be viable.