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| Mariel Nardi |
When I first learned that I would be spending my summer on the Nintendo Broadcast Activation Team, I was immediately transported to a time when my favorite accessory was not my iPhone, but my Gameboy.
The hours I spent trying to conquer the various villains that tormented the lives of Mario and Donkey Kong will always be some of the fondest memories of my childhood. It was apparent what Nintendo meant to me as a child, but in the context of my internship, I was blissfully unaware of what my summer would hold.
And so, when I was tasked with project of putting together a presentation to later be shown to Nintendo, I was thrilled. My assignment was simple, or so I thought at the time; I was instructed to compile a deck that included updates within the cable marketplace. Specifically, it was my responsibility to research the cable networks that Nintendo advertised on and inform the client of new programming and marketplace updates that will inform spending on future advertising dollars. In order to do this, I had to first take a crash course on what happened at the Upfronts this year.
The Pre-Upfront season occurs in the first few months of the calendar year (the actual UF typically starts right after Memorial Day) and is when television executives conduct presentations for the press and advertisers/marketers that detail new programming, among other things, for the broadcast year. The broadcast year starts in the fall and kicks off the premieres for many of the new programs. During this time, advertisers are permitted to purchase airtime “up front” or prior to when the broadcast year begins. For the Nintendo team here at Starcom, it also means keeping an eye out for cable/network channels with new shows that look promising in terms of ratings and impressions and taking note of programs that have been cancelled.
Since the Nintendo client had already been briefed on the Network Upfronts (ABC, NBC, CBS, CW and FOX), I was in charge of bringing them up-to-date on what had happened at the Cable Upfronts (Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Bravo, etc.).
In total, there were approximately 41 cable channels that Nintendo had previously advertised on; each with new programming and/or cancellations. Needless to say, it was a daunting task to research each network, provide descriptions of new programming, highlight the shows that had been cancelled, and determine which of the new shows (and shows new to syndication) Nintendo should focus their advertising dollars on.
This project not only morphed me into a walking, talking TV guide for the next broadcast year, but greatly improved my PPT and organizational skills. Through a lot of research and discussions amongst my team members, I was also able to narrow down specific decision criteria for my recommendations. These skills will be of particular help to me in the fall when I begin my roles as a Project Manager for Illinois Business Consulting and TA for the University of Illinois MBA Marketing class. Although I have yet to present my findings and recommendations to Nintendo, I have no doubt that they will appreciate the effort I put into ensuring that they stay up to date on the latest/upcoming shows so that they can make the best use of their ad dollars.
While I wasn’t battling villains, saving princesses, or collecting golden coins like I had done in my younger years, I was providing valuable information to a company and brand that, although my perspective has changed, will always have a special place in my heart. Below you can find some excerpts from my presentation.
Here is a look at some of the slides in my deck:
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