I’m a big fan of the Wii. My family has one, as do most of the families I know who have kids in the 5-12 range. It’s a huge marketing success story.

I recently came across the story of Wii’s naming. In 2006, when Nintendo announced the name, video gaming insiders mocked it. They called it "too juvenile" and posted a sea of mocking comments on the internet. The insiders were expecting Nintendo to call it “Revolution,” which was the code name for the console, and was more in keeping with rival system names like Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

As the chorus of discontent grew, Nintendo’s leaders held their ground. They knew their target was not traditional gamers, but a broader demographic: the millions of households that saw video game systems as inaccessible due to their complexity. The name “Wii” was simple, friendly, and had global appeal. Wii has proven to be the right name for the right product., selling over 70 million units (more than any other console) since 2006.

My takeaways? Know your audience. Challenge the conventional wisdom.

Be like Wii.