Chapter 180 Release
Shirakawa Electric's GAME BOY was finally released at a price of 5,200 yen. Of course, the launch of a new product cannot be done without any publicity.
After deciding on the final model, Shirakawa Electric's planning department began to work at full speed.
With the further development of the company, Shirakawa Electric has now established more than a dozen departments of various sizes.
From the comprehensive management and administration department to the manufacturing department, technical department, marketing department, etc., it covers all aspects of the entire business operation.
The Planning Department is under the Marketing Department and is mainly responsible for the promotion and marketing of Shirakawa Electric products.
Because GAME BOY's initial positioning was for young students, the target of its marketing is self-evident.
"Since these toys are developed for children, we will focus on promoting them in playgrounds, shopping malls, and around schools."
As the head of the planning department, Nakamura doesn't quite understand toys like handheld game consoles.
But it is also natural to think of the regional places that publicity and promotion should focus on.
“In addition to these places, can we also cooperate with arcades?
For example, they can be used as pachinko points prizes, or directly sold as consignment goods in arcade halls.”
Colleagues from the Planning Department spoke actively and offered suggestions for the marketing of the handheld game console.
"You can also sell it together with our Walkman and give a certain discount."
Because the price of handheld game consoles is relatively low, they are considered low value-added products compared to Walkmans.
So a colleague suggested that we just sell the two together.
Nakamura thought about it carefully for a while and shook his head again.
“Newly launched products should not be sold at a discount, and should first be promoted through Shirakawa Electric’s existing sales channels.
After one to two weeks, we will expand the channels.
It can be used as a reward for purchases at shopping malls and supermarkets, or can be used in collaboration with other brands.
However, you can now take action in advance and negotiate cooperation with these entertainment venues.
Don’t forget about TV advertising, as it is the most direct way for your product to enter the public’s field of vision.”
"Huh!" Everyone in the planning department started to work separately to promote Shirakawa Electric's first generation of handheld game console before it was launched.
…
In late April and early May 1980, Nintendo launched the groundbreaking portable game console, the first generation of handheld game console.
This palm-sized pocket game console has gradually attracted people's attention.
It is different from those huge game consoles that can only be played in arcades.
It is also different from the home machines that can only be used with the help of a TV and project images at home.
The handheld game console is small enough to fit in your pocket.
You can take it out to entertain and pass the time anytime and anywhere on the road or when you are resting.
It is obvious that this small and portable gaming device is naturally much more popular than those gaming consoles that can only be played in fixed locations.
It has become quite famous in less than a month since its launch.
The development of the handheld game console was actually done by Nintendo's hardware genius, Gunpei Yokoi, the director of the first R&D department.
The inspiration came to me by chance while riding the Shinkansen.
In today's era, there is a lack of entertainment. When people travel long distances, there is almost no entertainment activity to pass the time except sleeping and reading.
Oh, no. Maybe now we can add the new entertainment method of listening to music with a Walkman.
In short, when Gunpei Arai was riding the Shinkansen, the passengers around him were either sleeping or reading.
Some people are so bored that they just take out the LCD calculator they carry with them and tap on it to kill time.
This is where Gunpei Arai's inspiration came from: could he make a miniature game console to help people kill time during boring journeys?
So we have the current Nintendo GAME WATCH, which was originally designed for adults to kill time after work.
That’s why the time function was added to the game. Even Gunpei Yokoi initially positioned it as a watch with game functions…
As a result, when he took the prototype to see Nintendo President Yamauchi Bo, he was asked about the standby time of the watch.
Gunpei Yokoi gave an answer that even he found embarrassing: three days.
So Yamauchi Bo suggested to him that instead of selling it as a watch, he could just sell it as a game console with a time function.
Then GAME WATCH was born, but its mixed positioning was a bit awkward.
Adults are not very interested in it, but children are gradually becoming interested in it.
At the end of June, just one month after Nintendo GAME WATCH was launched, it was gradually gaining market recognition.
Neon’s second local handheld game console, GAME BOY, was launched, and it was immediately launched with overwhelming marketing promotion.
On the TV, the "Raiden" fighter plane was moving left and right and engaging in a fierce battle with the enemy above the screen. The "biubiubiu" sound of shooting was very catchy.
The scene changed, and the slow-moving Snake ate a fruit. With cute sound effects, its body immediately grew longer and its speed increased a lot.
"GAME BOY, my best friend!" Several teenagers dressed as students held colorful game consoles and showed them to the camera.
The 5,800 yen price tag on the screen was crossed out with a red cross, and replaced with "Surprisingly low price! 5,200 yen!"
“Two really popular games! Raiden VS Snake!”
Just when the audience thought the ad was over, suddenly a familiar female voice sang in the background, "KI~TA~"
"KITA?" The reason why I feel familiar with it is because of the advertising bombardment of Shirakawa Electric.
This iconic slogan has long been engraved in the minds of the audience.
It would be fine if I couldn’t remember it at other times, but when I heard this slogan, my DNA immediately started moving.
"Shirakawa Electric has launched a new product?"
"I don't know, but it seems quite interesting."
"Such a small game console is really interesting."
Not just TV ads, but old-school street posters.
Keio Railway and Tokyu Railway, with which the company has collaborated several times, have also replaced GAME BOY advertisements in their carriages.
While commuting on the tram or subway, isn't it a good idea to kill time with a GAME BOY?
There is both the thrilling "Raiden" and the casual and interesting "Snake".
Boys and girls alike can find their own fun.
As for where to buy it?
Look, there are some at Keio Department Store and Tokyu Department Store near the station. You don’t have to go far.
At the weekend entertainment center, a mother and her son who just got off the carousel are waiting for their ice cream to be made at an ice cream truck on the roadside.
At this time, the small stall selling snacks and toys nearby attracted the child's attention again, "Mom, I want that."
The young mother turned her head, 'Space battle, thunder and lightning strike! '
A banner poster was hanging on the top of the open-air shelf, with a scene of planes fighting in space in the background.
"Hey, Kenta. You just bought some toys yesterday."
"Mom, but I want it so badly."
Kenta, who was only six years old, looked up with tears in his eyes, pulled his mother's skirt and shook it continuously.
The young mother had no choice but to take her child to the toy stall and start choosing.
"Madam, this is the latest handheld game console, and it's only 5,200 yen."
The stall manager enthusiastically recommended this handheld game console called GAME BOY to the mother and son.
"Hey, is it here too?" the young mother asked, pointing at another game console that was similar to the GAME BOY.
This is Nintendo's GAME WATCH game console. My wife knows the name of Nintendo. The toy I bought for Kenta yesterday was produced by Nintendo.
The stall owner turned around and looked, "Oh, this one. It's a little more expensive, 5,800 yen.
But ma'am, I strongly recommend you to choose GAME BOY.
It is a new handheld game console launched by Shirakawa Electric. You know Shirakawa Electric, right? "
The wife nodded. She was impressed by the young and handsome president Sang who had been on the news.
Seeing his wife nod, the stall manager became even more excited. "Shirakawa Electric is a very creative company. Even Aiwa copied their products.
So there is no need to worry about the quality and creativity of the game consoles. "Raiden" and "Snake" are the most popular games now.
Both games are much more fun than Nintendo’s games.”
"So Nintendo's handheld game console also copied Shirakawa Electric's idea?" the young lady asked naively.
"Uh..." Manager Tan was a little speechless, but soon he waved his hand.
"It doesn't matter. Anyway, Shirakawa Electric's games are much more interesting, and the handheld game console is also more beautiful and much cheaper."
That's true, the lady nodded.
Moreover, when comparing the two, Nintendo's game console looks cheap and is obviously a shoddy copycat product.
So without much thought, my wife took out a few bills from her wallet and bought a Shirakawa Electric Game Boy.
Amid Kenta's cheers, the backs of the mother and son gradually disappeared into the distance.
The stall owner counted the money with satisfaction, stuffed it into his pocket, and started to greet another customer.
As for why he strongly recommended Shirakawa Electric's handheld game console? It's simple, Shirakawa Electric gives a high commission.
In order to quickly seize the market, Shirakawa Kaede not only lowered the price of the handheld game console.
Relying on the fact that his costs were much lower than Nintendo, he also made certain concessions to the channel dealers on their share of the profits.
What kind of combination is this? This is a price war!
A fierce price war started right at the beginning. In addition to wanting to quickly open up the market, it was also to raise the banner of Shirakawa Electric.
Currently, there is only Nintendo's handheld game console on the market, so it can be said that the current market is basically in a semi-blank state.
If you don't take action now, when will you take action?
If Baichuan Feng's guess is correct, the armies of other mountain strongholds will soon swarm in.
So it’s better to strike first.
In addition, regarding the sales of handheld game consoles, there are other channels besides Shirakawa Electric's traditional sales channels.
GAME BOY handheld game consoles can be found in amusement parks, rooftop gardens of shopping malls, and even snack shops.
Shirakawa Electric's marketing target is very clear: GAME BOY must be present in any place where children and students go.
Because of its low price and trendy nature, it quickly became popular among students.
They are not unfamiliar with Nintendo's handheld game consoles, but the Shirakawa Electric handheld game consoles are obviously more popular because they have more interesting games, more exquisite appearance and cheaper prices.
Children are not stupid, they can tell who is good and who is bad at a glance.
