Wow, I kind of thought it was common knowledge that Nintendo currently has the strongest brand of the big 3 console makers.

Some posters must be blinded by prejudice, because it's pretty hard to dispute or question Nintendo's current brand value.

Just wow...there was a time when I thought videogamers represented a logical intellectual class of persons, but I guess as the market expands...

@BladeOfGod: It's not whether something is fair or not. We are talking about stuff that has nothing to do with moral.
We can't compare the wealth of you and your neighbour because your neighbour makes more money.
We can't compare the weight of you and your friend because your friend eats more junkfood.
We can't compare the average temperature of summer and winter since the sun shines from a different angle.

And despite all that, your neighbour has more money than you do, your friend weights more and it snows in the winter. Whether it's fair or not, these things just are.

As for stupidity, you should tell that to companies that work hard to build their brands against companies that are newer/older/have more products etc. If your methods prove effective, you'll make millions as a consultant. I think Coca-Cola, Disney and Nintendo would be very interested in you proving how the sugar water doesn't taste different from Coca-Cola bottle or that Mickey Mouse ears are just stupidity or that Mario have really nothing to do with peoples perception of videogame. Not to mention what the companies competitors would pay you. Or car manufacturers that sell their products only with image marketing, oh boy, they'd be happy.

In brands, only the current situation exists. If your previously good brand is suddenly seen as negative, the past doesn't matter at all. It doesn't matter what timeframe have you acquired your brand or how you did it. Brand is only about peoples perception of the name you are marketing your products with.

I thought people see Wii as the "casual" and PS3 as "hardcore"

I think that the brand PlayStation is just like Gucci, Versace , D&G, butin the console and gaming bussines .

My negibour makes more money than me? HA HA HA HA. She 's a lesbian nurse, and i can just imagine what is she doing on weekends.

''In brands, only the current situation exists. If your previously good brand is suddenly seen as negative, the past doesn't matter at all. It doesn't matter what timeframe have you acquired your brand or how you did it. Brand is only about peoples perception of the name you are marketing your products with''

History is aslo kinda important. Look at the Resident Evil 5. People are buying it mosty because its famous Resident Evil name. And i think if PlayStation didnt made such a huge succes in past generation, PS3 wouldnt even sell 15 million. History is also very important for a brand.

Agreed and that is why you can’t count out the previous Nintendo branded products,

Lots of the older generation that see the wii remember fondly playing the nes and want that feeling back so they grab the wii b/c of this

Its one of the reason VC is doing so well

People have that nostalgia factor

@BladeOfGod: Got me imagining too. Mmm... Although, i do know couple of lesbians and wouldn't touch them with a 3 meter pole. What if she fights her girlfriend all weekend and breaks up with her?

I don't think being a lesbian has nothing to do with how much you earn. If she's not making more money, i'll let you to be the better earning neigbour.

Yes, history is important, that's where you created your brand. But it doesn't matter what your brand was yesterday, if it's not the same today. "Our brand used to be better" doesn't sell stuff if "The other guy has better brand".

It is important, as the cause of the current brand recognition, but you can't count historical popularity as equally important with the current popularity. 

PS3 sold 21 Million, because that is how strong the PS brand is, CURRENTLY. Historical strenght INCLUDED 

Wii sold 49 million, because it is that strong it is currently. Historical failures INCLUDED. 

Analogy:

Which country has the "brand recognition"?  Italy, or Hungary? Italy as a country is technically 148 years old, Hungary is 1009. If you add up, there were more hungarians in the past, than italians. In the XIX century, Hungary was even a bit bigger.  

Does that mean anything? Yes. It means that both countries had a nice history, but overall, Hungary pwned more.

Does that mean that Hungary is more well-known, recognised, etc, today? NO, BECAUSE THIS IS JUST HISTORY! 

Just try putting "Nintendo" on another product.  Smug enough to think you can do that without a trademark suit on your hands?

 ''Our brand used to be better" doesn't sell stuf''

Actually it does. People are buying Mario games because the franchise has very good history and because its mario, just like Halo and Gran Turismo. If Halo 1 wasnt so succesfull, Halo 2 and 3 wouldnt be succesfull either.