Comments on: What Are 42,000 Comments Worth?

By: Barry Graubart

Barry Graubart — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:43:51 +0000

A great move by Nintendo. To Denny, regarding the number who will buy it who otherwise might not – there’s no way to know. But, I think it’s reasonable to assume that some people who might have thought about buying a Wii but hadn’t yet, entered the contest then, when they did not win, went out and bought one. Like a lottery, the whole concept of a contest gets users thinking about themselves winning and playing with the Wii. And, as any marketer can tell you, if the consumer associates themselves with your product, that is an important step in the buying process. Huge win at virtually no cost. Plus, we’re commenting on it here, so even more positive publicity for Nintendo.

By: Eni

Eni — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:33:07 +0000

And let’s not forget that Wii availability is still limited. What good is that kind of traffic when you can’t get the product readily?

By: Karen Swim

Karen Swim — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:21:51 +0000

Mack, IMHO it was a smart move on Nintendo’s part. For a very small investment, 42,000+ people engaged with their product. Let’s not forget that those commenters hoping to win the Wii fit talked about it to their network too. And as evidenced by my comment the conversations are continuing to happen.

By: Stephen Denny

Stephen Denny — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:01:23 +0000

Gianandrea: how about giving the 42K people the opportunity to host parties of their own, if they can deliver a certain number of people and then pick the top 100 — or have competing “parties” networked to play and compete against each other?
Don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful that Dooce loved the product and she isn’t under and obligation to “package” the party — as a matter of fact, that would begin to look a bit staged, wouldn’t it? — but Nintendo could create real dialog and engagement with this idea.
Not a criticism at all — just another nudge along the path. That’s what social networks do!

By: gianandrea facchini

gianandrea facchini — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:04:18 +0000

I have some comments about the story:
Mack calculation about a potential return are amazing, but there sill be no prove that those sales come from this activity. On the other side 1.000 usd investment is worth anyway just because of the publicity it delivered. Another potential issue is about the method of the selection of the winners. Don’t you believe that between the 42.000 responders there will be some discontent and some suspect about the winners? Maybe yes.
Even this is a good move, it seems to me not complete. I would have added a 10% off on the Wii price to all the people that may prove to have commented on the blog or provide them with a coupon with the same discount or for a free trial in a store chain via mail, after having collected their data. This may have added additional metrics to the operation.

By: Stephen Denny

Stephen Denny — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 03:21:48 +0000

Having 42,000 people lining up outside your door hoping for “free stuff” isn’t what I’d call a home run. It’s what happens when a high ticket priced item aimed at teens is offered by a sweepstakes site “for free.”
What percent of this group reads Dooce? Probably few. How many are going to convert if they’re not one of the 5-in-42000 chosen — that wouldn’t convert anyway? I don’t know, but I wouldn’t hang my hat on a sizable number.
This feels like the “if we can get just one person out of a hundred in China to buy a Coke every day…” mentality.
“Free stuff available online” doesn’t collect quality leads and doesn’t qualify as much involvement.
But Dooce talking up a product in a genuine, authentic and not-for-profit way, on the other hand, is good.

By: Bill Gammell

Bill Gammell — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:25:38 +0000

Bad, bad move for Nintendo.
They should just go back to mass interruption ads like everyone else. They’re totally ruining it for everyone by trying to start a conversation. Who do they think they are?
[A fake comment by Xbox and PlayStation marketers ]

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:39:12 +0000

Hey Cam, I have not seen you ’round this neighborhood in a while. Welcome back. Or maybe I just have not seen your posts lately.

By: mack collier

mack collier — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:13:00 +0000

“This is likely but one of many exposures a person has to a Wii promotion or positive WOM about it. Would it have been successful but for all the others?
Or, if a person is persuaded to think positively about the Wii because of this but waits to buy, does this particular promotion get some weight in the final purchase decision when he goes out to buy a Wii for Christmas after seeing a commercial?
It should, but it’s a lot more work to measure that way.”
One other thing, IMO perhaps the most important thing, to consider.
Are moms that read Dooce going to be more likely to want to buy a Wii, because they see that Dooce loves the product?
I think the answer to that is pretty obvious. THAT is the real home run from this, the positive endorsement that Nintendo got from argubly the most popular mommy blogger on the planet.

By: Cam Beck

Cam Beck — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:46:22 +0000

I agree that this is shaping up well for Nintendo, but the ROI is, as you obviously realize, difficult to calculate.
This is likely but one of many exposures a person has to a Wii promotion or positive WOM about it. Would it have been successful but for all the others?
Or, if a person is persuaded to think positively about the Wii because of this but waits to buy, does this particular promotion get some weight in the final purchase decision when he goes out to buy a Wii for Christmas after seeing a commercial?
It should, but it’s a lot more work to measure that way.