Marketing Post #3: Gundam Mobile Models

As a child I loved watching Gundam Mobile anime series with my brother and as I grew older, I began to develop an affection toward building these models pieces. These anime/manga series Gundam Mobile Suits are extremely popular in Japan and has over the years become well known and popular amongst people across the world. Gundam Mobiles are typically machine robots that people pilot to fight during wars and this is set in the distant future.  There are many series for Gundam but my all time favourite would have to be Gundam Seed.

There aren’t a lot of marketing done for Gundam Mobiles in North America but I was first introduced by a friend who is a strong advocate for this good.  He introduced Gundam Mobiles as “not just a typical, everyday war series, but it integrates human relations and emotions”. So I tried watching a few of these series with my brother and soon both of us became more addicted to this animation to the point where the both of us can now be called an advocate.  In North America, I think that Gundams are primarily marketed through advocates like my friend, my brother and I. This shows that advocates are valuable for a company that wants to market using as little capital as possible.

But what are some factors that influence which Gundam consumers want to buy? For me, price, appearance, texture and colour is super important. Of course the editions also make an influence because based on the edition, there are different gimmicks associated with it. As well, the timing also influences when I make a purchase. For example I would not purchase a box near exam times because I know I won’t be able to focus and would also be distracted.  Here are a few pictures of the most recent Gundam I built:)