Nintendo's Fils-Aime Named Marketer Of The Year

Marketing magazine BrandWeek has named Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime its Grand Marketer of the Year, saying the award is "for preaching the gospel of gaming to the unconverted and turning moms and older people on to the fun of Wii." Fils-Aime, who, the article notes has a past in marketing for Procter & Gamble, Pizza Hut, VH1 and Guinness, told Brandweek that he'd "been involved in some big, audacious ideas and we needed some big, audacious ideas at Nintendo.” Senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications George Harrison also told the magazine that Fils-Aime "basically challenged us to rethink not only what we do, but how we do it." The article notes such strageies as "Tupperware Party-like events aimed at multigenerational families," and parties for parents "at luxury suites replete with champagne and cookies" as part of Nintendo's new and successful campaign to bring the Wii into the spotlight. Other marketers noted in the award series article, which can be viewed online (.pdf) include senior officials at Geico, Frito-Lay, NBC, and plastic footwear company Crocs.