Sonic The Adhog

[Linkabel]

One of the purposes of Sonic's creation was to be Sega's icon in not only games, but also in other mediums. Teaming up with other companies and using Sonic as a promotional figure happens to be one of those mediums.

 

Sonic became insanely popular when he first appeared on the scene back in 1991, so my question is....just how many promotions has Sonic appeared in?

 

I'll start with the most known promotions and other ones that are a little bit obscure.

 

1. Sonic & McDonald's

Eat it bitch!

 

From what I know, Sega and McDonald's first partnership came in 1994 when Sonic The Hedgehog 3 came out. The promotion consisted of giving out five toys: A Sonic The Hedgehog toy launcher toy, a Knuckles The Echidna spinner, a Tails helicopter, an Eggman toy and the one everyone forgets, a Sonic ball. There was also a toy that came out that will connect to the "Happy Meal anniversary train."

 

 

Sega will again join forces with McDonad's in 2003/2004 to give out LCD games promoting various mediums like Sonic X/ Sonic Adventure DX/Sonic Heroes. Other regions got this promotion later on.

 

2. Sonic & Canal +

While reading the history of Sonic book I encountered a segment about Sega France signing a contract with Canal + to show Sonic animations before an advertising spot. This apparently took place in 1993:

 

3. Sonic & Coca-Cola

Apparently in the UK there was a promotion that if you send Coca-Cola labels you were able to get a Sonic themed varsity jacket or a hat (I'm not so sure about that though). Apparently there was also pin given away at MGM Cannon Cinemas?

 

I actually have all three of these items, but if a member from the UK wants to jump in and say how you were able to get them, then by all means go ahead. Apparently this partnership was not only limited to the UK but it happened throughout various places in the world like Australia, Israel and Germany. Fanta Sonic sodas also came out during this I believe

 

There also seemed to be a Japanese Coca-Cola promotion when Sonic Adventure debuted back in the 90s, this one I know nothing about.

 

 

4. Sonic & Progressive

It seemed that after Sonic's big year he became a household name again. In the beginning of 2012 he came out in commercials for Progressive:

 

This commercial of course made a lot of people ask, "why does Sonic need car insurance?"

 

5. Sonic Shuffle Gum

I don't know if a lot of people will remember this because I barely do. Around the time when Sonic Shuffle was going to come out, Sega did a contest with *insert gum brand* where if you won Sonic will visit your school with a Dreamcast game truck.

 

Obviously, Sonic Shuffle was going to be one of the games people would be able to play, but I believe other games were going to be featured. The box where the gum was kept, and the packaging itself, had this drawing on it along with the Sonic Shuffle logo.

 

6. Sonic & Nike

Make the shoes happen already!

 

I still remember waking up that day and a friend telling me that Sonic came out in a Nike video. I came to the Stadium to make a thread about it and the rest is history. A game was put in the "My time is now" trailer where viewers were told to follow the tunnels and look for clues during the video.

 

You took control of Sonic running around with a soccer ball beating badniks in Green Hill!

 

There's other promotions I left out like the Soap shoes, Cheerios and the Dreams Come True concert promotion. But I'm sure there's way more promotions out there that we are forgetting.

 

Anyone else has others that they might want to add?

 

 

 

 

[Badnik Mechanic]

I can't post pics of it right now, but Sonic did at one point team up with TSB Bank and the NSPCC.

 

I do not remember the details, but you donated money or opened a bank account and got a giant unique Sonic poster.

[Linkabel]

I can't post pics of it right now, but Sonic did at one point team up with TSB Bank and the NSPCC.

 

I do not remember the details, but you donated money or opened a bank account and got a giant unique Sonic poster.

 

Well that was something I was not expecting. Would be cool if someone could provide pics!

 

Also I forgot about the pasta Sonic had, both classic and modern had their own.

 

And that weird commercial:

[Dizcrybe]

Well that was something I was not expecting. Would be cool if someone could provide pics!

 

Also I forgot about the pasta Sonic had, both classic and modern had their own.

 

And that weird commercial:

 

>Chemical Plant Zone music

>Mushroom Hill footage

 

Great job, guys. (Y)

[MamboCat]

I can't post pics of it right now, but Sonic did at one point team up with TSB Bank and the NSPCC.   I do not remember the details, but you donated money or opened a bank account and got a giant unique Sonic poster.

I had this poster. It was my first piece of Sonic merch. My Nan was a TSB customer and she convinced them to give her one! Sonics mug was slapped on a lot of things in the 90s. Cans of pasta, tiny biscuits...

[Crash]

I am really interested in these. I knew most of these but I didn't know about the Coke or the Pasta one.

[Milo]

Sega also had a Sonic-themed Honey Nut Cheerio's "Race For the Taste" advert which had the Honey Nut Cheerio's bee racing against Sonic (and unsurprisingly losing).

 

 

[Tara]

Oh my gooooooosh I want something like this on TV again.  Those are sooooo cool!

 

Anyway, yes, back in the day, Sonic used to have an incredible marketing front, which probably explains the massive success it had at the time.  I used to be so happy because I had the Sonic racing game that was in the 2004 Happy Meal promotion. (When I was a little too old to be ordering Happy Meals) ... But I lost it in the move.  Years later, my friend surprised me by giving me another, unopened toy from the same promotion!  With excitement, I opened it up and...

 

It was the Amy/Rouge one. :v - Oh well, it still compliments my collection, though I wish I still had the Sonic one =c

 

So yeah, marketing.  Fun memories.

[Cyrus]

Watch out, Marza Animation.

Edited April 27, 2013 by @ut0

[Crash]

Watch out, Marza Animation.

 

Damn it, I forgot about that! I was going to post it.

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

My eyes, they BUUUUURNN... also Rouge looks like a Rat, how in the world did SEGA allow that

[Cyrus]

Can't be as bad as Neo Bin Laden.

[DGam'r]

 

Damn, and now there's little to none commercials with Sonic games

Edited April 27, 2013 by Gammy-kins

[Speederino]

 

 

 

HOOOOOOLY SHIT I REMEMBER THESE! I could have sworn Tails had been an actual figurine though, not just a cardboard cutout. But the Robotnik one I definitely remember for sure.

[Vertekins]

What I find hilarious about the following Tiger Sonic 3D Blast ad is the fact that it's so audacious in how misleading it attempts to be. They purposefully interject footage of the Mega Drive version to detract some attention away from the fact that it's a primitive 2D LCD game

 

 

On a more positive note, I always loved this Japanese Sonic CD commercial. The CGI may be primitive but it works. And I love how "Sonic - You Can Do Anything" is included. And Eggman's image imposed over the Little Planet coolly emphasizes his domination over it;

 

 

Epic.

[Tornado]

I remember circa-1994 Sonic was in a big way with Lifesavers; to the extent that they were bankrolling a contest that was related to Sonic in some way. I'd have to dig up my old EGMs, but they were loaded with ads about it. This was one of them:

 

 

That I also remember, but there was also another one that they did before that.

 

 

 

 

I've still got the sonic shooter thing. Hell if I know where it is, but I still got it.

[Frank Sinatra]

I remember when this advert for Sonic 06 came out in the UK, it looked so awesome to me at the time.... Sigh.
 

 

[AuroraRedwinters]

Is it sad to admit that I still have a Sonic 3 lifesavers roll unopened?

And the lifesavers Sonic hat... and t-shirt somewhere... lol.

 

Anywho I very clearly remember back in the 90's something with Sonic and Fruit Roll-Up's where you could "punch out" a fruity version of Sonic and co stock images on the fruit roll up itself ... or at least I am prettttty sure. Anyone else have a recollection of that? I am sure there was some sort of ad for it too

Edited April 28, 2013 by AuroraRedwinters

[iDEATH]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6579-a_jqM

here's a weird one, never thought I'd find it on youtube. I remember when this aired I actually tried to set up a vcr to record it with no luck.

 

It's an advert for a Citv show called ministry of mayhem and features the cast invading various shows trying toget publicity for the show. One of the things they invade is....sonic heroes. complete with little cgi stephen mullhern and Holly Willabooby,

[Linkabel]

I had this poster. It was my first piece of Sonic merch. My Nan was a TSB customer and she convinced them to give her one! Sonics mug was slapped on a lot of things in the 90s. Cans of pasta, tiny biscuits...

 

It would've been cool if you still had the poster to see it.

 

 

Milky Way ad

 

I remember seeing this ad back in the day! I had forgotten about it, nice find!

 

 

I remember circa-1994 Sonic was in a big way with Lifesavers; to the extent that they were bankrolling a contest that was related to Sonic in some way. I'd have to dig up my old EGMs, but they were loaded with ads about it. This was one of them:

 

 

That I also remember, but there was also another one that they did before that.

 

 

Sonic was so big with Lifesavers they still them on ebay till this day.

 

Anywho I very clearly remember back in the 90's something with Sonic and Fruit Roll-Up's where you could "punch out" a fruity version of Sonic and co stock images on the fruit roll up itself ... or at least I am prettttty sure. Anyone else have a recollection of that? I am sure there was some sort of ad for it too

 

I don't remember seeing them myself, but they did exist:

 

Good memory!

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6579-a_jqM

here's a weird one, never thought I'd find it on youtube. I remember when this aired I actually tried to set up a vcr to record it with no luck.

 

It's an advert for a Citv show called ministry of mayhem and features the cast invading various shows trying toget publicity for the show. One of the things they invade is....sonic heroes. complete with little cgi stephen mullhern and Holly Willabooby,

 

Another ad I wasn't expecting. Cool!

 

Others on Retro have found this:

 

A Sonic cologne, and I can't really see what brand it is though:

 

An alphabet of Sonic, which I think a member from here showed us a long time ago:

Sonic pogs from Bollicao:

 

Others things they found was that back in the day in Spain, Sega used to sponsor Takeshi's Castle (Humor Amarillo) where Sonic's mouth would move in the title logo. I later found out that they used to give Sega consoles as prices. Another one included giving Sonic viewfinders in Hardee's.

 

This one I was going to put in the OP, but chose to save it for later. Around the time of the Dreamcast, Sega partnered with Jack in the Box to promote the "Sega PC" line up by giving out toys based on Sonic, Knuckles, Ecco and Bug!

 

 

You could also get "limited editon" games of Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic & Knuckles collection for the PC. Though I also remember that they advertise Sonic R, Bug! and Ecco along with some other game.

 

 

I actually have the Sonic (I have like three of them) and Knuckles. Sadly I don't know what happened to Ecco and Bug.

[MamboCat]

It would've been cool if you still had the poster to see it.

 

I'm not sure what happened to mine. I would like to think it's safe in my parents' attic but they've moved a few times, sp I can't be sure what they discarded.

 

Anyways it took me a while to find it but here is what it looked like;

 

http://videogamemm.com/main/content/large-sonic-hedgehog-tsb-poster-type

 

Various Sonic CD scenes in the background. I hadn't played CD at this point so some of these were a complete mystery to me.

 

This also reminds me, Sonic was in a Midland bank advert; he jumped on a blue couch and a load of rings bounced out of it. I haven't been able to find it online, however but I'm pretty sure I saw it several times when I were a wee nipper. :B

Edited April 28, 2013 by MamboCat

[Badnik Mechanic]

I'm not sure what happened to mine. I would like to think it's safe in my parents' attic but they've moved a few times, sp I can't be sure what they discarded.

 

Anyways it took me a while to find it but here is what it looked like;

 

http://videogamemm.com/main/content/large-sonic-hedgehog-tsb-poster-type

 

 

Ah there it is.

 

Yeah I have that one, but theres another another one. It's a giant £1 coin, only it's Tails' head instead of the Queen. For some reason I think theres a 3rd one but I've not seen a picture of it.

[MamboCat]

Ah yes, I know the one you mean... but I didn't have that one.

 

I seem to remember Tails looking a little drunk on that coin!

[Badnik Mechanic]

I seem to remember Tails looking a little drunk on that coin!

 

lol he sure does, I have it... somewhere... anyway... heres another odd one.

 

 

Anyone have any idea about these? I bought these from the same guy a few months back, however, there is a 3rd in the set, it's of Sonic... and Amy. Yes, that Sonic CD artwork, promoting Sonic 3.

 

So you have this company who I think make confectionary, promoting Sonic 3 by using pyramid head robotnik and Sonic CD assets.

 

Ok so literally just decided to look these up when making this post and I found this.

 

 

I had no idea there were that many. It's also using purple Knuckles... though there is a Sonic 3 pin gift set made by Sega which also uses purple knuckles too.

 

Anyone know anything about this company or what this promotion was about?

[Tani Coyote]

You know, seeing all this stuff just makes me cry whenever I go to any place and see Mario and co.'s faces plastered over all sorts of merchandise. I really hope SEGA takes advantage of a newer generation and the fact animals tend to appeal more to kids to rebuild Sonic's presence in the market.