We Got Game
A few months ago I got the kind of email any girl would be happy to get. No, not the Ruelala alert that a Tory Burch sale is forthcoming and no, not the latest offerings from Tiffany that I can't exactly afford but can certainly drool after and maybe set as the background on my work computer (what?).
No, this was an email from a lovely woman named Justine at Brand About Town. She wanted to know if I was interested in becoming a Brand Enthusiast for a little company called Nintendo.
Now, at first glance, you may not think I am a quote unquote gamer. My dealings with video games are relegated to a deep seated love for old school Nintendo's "Castlevania", and a propensity to think I am awesome at Guitar Hero when I have a few drinks in me. So not someone you would think would be the ideal candidate to represent Nintendo.
I met with the incredibly adorable Justine at the Omni Parker House for drinks and to further discuss it and basically what it came down to is 1) Nintendo wants to appeal to the ladies who may have fallen off the Nintendo wagon around 1990 or so and 2) Nintendo is incredibly smart.
Brand About Town and Nintendo offered me the chance to throw a party at a swank locale in Boston to which I could invite 20 of my friends. Drinks and food would be provided and all we had to do was show up, and play some games on the adorable, portable Nintendo DSi. They pretty much had me at "free drinks" but after hearing about the DSi (basically the super improved, super tricked out hot sister of the Game Boy), I was equally psyched about that.
So of course I accepted their offer and immediately invited a boatload of my friends to the party, held last Thursday at the CitySide Suite at 60 State Street.
In the meantime, I was sent a Nintendo DSi and a few games to play on it. May I say that, for someone that didn't think she would be totally into it, I am in LOVE.
For one thing it has two cameras built into it which take not only great photos, but offer applications wherein the user can make the subject of the photo have, say, a mustache. Or an enormous nose. Or a forehead to rival Tyra's tenfold. These things are amusing. You can also hook onto any wifi in the area and hop on the Internet. I have twittered and emailed from mine quite easily. Not to mention the games DEAR god the games. I can play Brain Age all day long. In fact I do. And my brain age is still 36 (it should be 20) so clearly I have a tough road ahead of me.
An example of how awesome it is: While away on vacation this weekend I played Dr Mario on it while Adam was in the shower and then opened the DSi Web Browser and checked my bank balance. Could it be more convenient? The answer is no.
In any case, once the party was upon us I was so excited for my friends to get to experience the DSi for themselves. I told them they would love it but most were kind of skeptical. Again, most of us don't really play video games so why would this appeal to us?
Yet. It does.
Hardcore.
The party began in the truly decked out CitySide Suite, with a chalkboard sign where people could write why they love me (an easy list to make since I had just invited them to a free party with an open bar)
Five stations were set up around the suite, each an adoreable modern and chicly decorated little alcove and each focusing on a specific DSi game. And my girls fell upon these games and loved them more than I ever imagined they would.
Caity, Amanda and Christa, gaming out
Drinkin' and gamin'.
Jeannie + Nintendo = Love
Psyched on Nintendo!
Adorable servers circled the floor providing everyone with canapes, cheese and crackers, assorted other fabulous apps as well as trays of red wine, white wine and champagne. It was all enjoyed heartily as everyone played games and socialized.
After a few hours, when everyone had all become so attached to the DSi (as I knew they would!) and come to see how great it is to play with while your commuting on the train, or killing time waiting for an appointment, or just any old time you have some down time and want a little stimulation, came the best part of the party....
What's this?
Why is everyone so psyched?
Oh because everyone who came to the party got a free Nintendo DSi and game to take home with them!!
Seriously what a perfect end to a fantastic evening. And you should have heard everyone the next day. Girls who never though they would care about a handheld gaming device were RAVING about it. Ladies who told me they couldn't picture riding the T while playing a game suddenly can't commute without it. It was nuts. Not to mention gratifying that now when I complain about my pathetic Brain Age, others can actually relate.
So a huge thanks from me and my friends to Nintendo and Brand About Town for a fabulous evening, an eye opening party and an amazing take home gift. We all consider ourselves well versed in the Girlfriend's Guide to Gaming now!
Check out the rest of the photos from the party here!
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10 comments:
The real problem with Nintendo is their complete lack of customer service. I have contacted them, by e-mail (so it exists- not my imagination) three times and twice by phone (I gave up on the phone transfer tag) to ask really basic questions about the Wii and how to deal with living in Europe part time.
Because they won't answer my questions, I won't buy one. Because they don't respond to my questions, I won't buy any Nintendo device for my family and children and I assume their products are as bad as their customer service.
Took me 20 years to recover from Apple treating me badly. it's been more than 20 for American cars, let's see if Nintendo ever responds to those e-mails (I don't expect them to).
I am crying laughing at how SCREAMY I look in that pic!!
I love my new DSi - I downloaded Brain Challenge (which is kind of like Brain Age but instead of giving you a brain age, it tells you the percentage of your brain your using. Apparently most people only use 10%.).
Also? I kick ass as Mario Cart. Just sayin'.
What a good party! Thanks again Sarah!
Nintendo is brills. I'll host one of those smashing parties in Canada!! :)
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. I suck a million fold for missing this. I'm really glad it was such a success and everyone had so much fun. That's really awesome and smart of Nintendo.
hey, I'm friends with Dink, and she told me how awesome this party was. So were you already signed up with the Brand About Town, or did they contact you randomly? Just curious (and wicked jealous of your new toy!)
Hi! I was not signed up on the site, the first I heard of Brand About Town was when Justine contacted me through my blog.
This party was FANTASTIC and I <3 my DSi. I was previously one of the "I don't do video games" people, but I am definitely a Nintendo convert! Thanks Sarah!!! (And thank you, Christ child. ;-))
"to ask really basic questions about the Wii and how to deal with living in Europe part time"
Can you picture that call? "Uh, yes the Wii is for playing video games and when you are in Austria and have to drink from the boot, be sure it's toe up! Make sure you have lots of Euros and your passport!"
Well, M. I think it would have been more like: I live in Berlin for 3 years and my family wants to give me an expensive Wii. Can I use European games? Will it void my warranty? Will a transformer work? Do I need to use a converter for NTSC to PAL? Can I simply buy a European cord?I'll be living in NY on 3 years and don't want to buy (instead of receivea US) European Wii for lots more $$ and buy old European expensive games I won't be able to get in the US.
Perhaps you work there?
That's awesome!!
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