Julien Seri, the French commercial director behind Nintendo’s memorable 2011 television spots starring Robin Williams and his daughter Zelda, has offered a clear-eyed recollection of the production and the personal ties that gave the campaign its emotional weight.
The ads accompanied the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D for Nintendo 3DS in 2011 and remain a frequently referenced example of how authentic storytelling can amplify a major game release.
Background and context
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time originally debuted on Nintendo 64 in 1998 and was remade for Nintendo 3DS by developer Grezzo and published by Nintendo, arriving in June 2011.
The 2011 advertising campaign — produced by Nintendo of America with creative input from Gabriel Moskowski — featured Robin Williams and his daughter Zelda Williams and drew on the widely reported, decades-old anecdote that Williams named his daughter Zelda in 1989 after the game.
Recounting the creative process
Seri said that Nintendo had previously worked with him on commercials and that the studio provided a short list of directors to Robin Williams.
According to Seri, Williams personally selected his reel, an unexpected gift that set the production in motion.
Seri described the campaign’s emotional core: the creative team leaned into Williams’ genuine, personal connection to the property rather than a standard celebrity endorsement.
On-set dynamics and production details
Seri recalled that Williams made the shoot relaxed and collaborative, frequently addressing him playfully as “Boss,” which Seri said reflected the warm, improvisational rapport that developed on set.
The campaign was filmed in three production blocks over roughly six months around Williams’ schedule, totaling six shooting days across New York and San Francisco.
Seri noted that the first commercial was shot swiftly — roughly an hour and a half — while later spots evolved toward a warmer, more comedic tone.
Personal notes and legacy
Both Williams and his daughter have spoken publicly about the origin of her name; Zelda Williams has said the name simply “stuck” after her parents liked it, and Robin Williams himself recalled bringing home one of the early Nintendo systems and playing for hours, which informed the family story.
Seri later collaborated with the Williams family on additional Zelda-related spots for other 3DS releases and described plans to work with Robin on a feature film, Love Run, a project that never came to fruition after Williams’ death in 2014 at age 63.
Why the campaign still matters
For industry observers, the ads remain notable for aligning authentic celebrity connection with a major remake release, helping the Nintendo 3DS launch window for Ocarina of Time 3D stand out amid a crowded market.
The campaign demonstrates how first-party platform holders like Nintendo can use human storytelling to support hardware ecosystems — from retail 3DS launches to ongoing conversations around Nintendo Switch and digital storefront strategies like the eShop and Nintendo Direct announcements.
The ads accompanied the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D for Nintendo 3DS in 2011 and remain a frequently referenced example of how authentic storytelling can amplify a major game release.
Background and context
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time originally debuted on Nintendo 64 in 1998 and was remade for Nintendo 3DS by developer Grezzo and published by Nintendo, arriving in June 2011.
The 2011 advertising campaign — produced by Nintendo of America with creative input from Gabriel Moskowski — featured Robin Williams and his daughter Zelda Williams and drew on the widely reported, decades-old anecdote that Williams named his daughter Zelda in 1989 after the game.
Recounting the creative process
Seri said that Nintendo had previously worked with him on commercials and that the studio provided a short list of directors to Robin Williams.
According to Seri, Williams personally selected his reel, an unexpected gift that set the production in motion.
Seri described the campaign’s emotional core: the creative team leaned into Williams’ genuine, personal connection to the property rather than a standard celebrity endorsement.
On-set dynamics and production details
Seri recalled that Williams made the shoot relaxed and collaborative, frequently addressing him playfully as “Boss,” which Seri said reflected the warm, improvisational rapport that developed on set.
The campaign was filmed in three production blocks over roughly six months around Williams’ schedule, totaling six shooting days across New York and San Francisco.
Seri noted that the first commercial was shot swiftly — roughly an hour and a half — while later spots evolved toward a warmer, more comedic tone.
Personal notes and legacy
Both Williams and his daughter have spoken publicly about the origin of her name; Zelda Williams has said the name simply “stuck” after her parents liked it, and Robin Williams himself recalled bringing home one of the early Nintendo systems and playing for hours, which informed the family story.
Seri later collaborated with the Williams family on additional Zelda-related spots for other 3DS releases and described plans to work with Robin on a feature film, Love Run, a project that never came to fruition after Williams’ death in 2014 at age 63.
Why the campaign still matters
For industry observers, the ads remain notable for aligning authentic celebrity connection with a major remake release, helping the Nintendo 3DS launch window for Ocarina of Time 3D stand out amid a crowded market.
The campaign demonstrates how first-party platform holders like Nintendo can use human storytelling to support hardware ecosystems — from retail 3DS launches to ongoing conversations around Nintendo Switch and digital storefront strategies like the eShop and Nintendo Direct announcements.
