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Help tracing a Sega ad campaign

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 4:12 am
by monkey.
Hi everyone, I'm new here, so sorry that my first post is a blatant request for a favour (and I hope this is in the right place).....

Basically, I have a second round interview with Sega UK for a position in brand management. It's literally my dream job, something I've been after for years and years. I don't currently work within the industry, and so even getting to the interview stage for these positions is really tough. The resulting position, should I get it, will most likely be working with Sonic, and that's where you guys might be able to help....

I'm up against some serious competition, there's no doubt about it. So, after having a word with recruitment about how best to boost my chances, I've got some work to do. I'm basically trying to map the entire brand lifecycle (so far) for Sonic Heroes in the UK and Europe. I've got the basics, but it's the print/tv ads, merchandising etc that has got me a little lost. I need to piece together as much of the advertising activity that occurred as possible. In addition, I need to find details of any tie-ins that were launched, such as Happy Meal toys etc (I know there was a McDonalds promotion in the US, but I can't for the life of me find anything about the UK). The final piece to the puzzle is the sales figure side - in Europe I know the game sold over a million and a half copies, but does anyone know of anywhere I could get accurate figures, preferably with the UK split out? (First week sales figures would be another good one)

I have searched everywhere on the web for this stuff, but it's proving elusive. I suppose a marketing campaign is a snapshot in time and if you can't remember it (or didn't really see it) then it's kind of lost. So if anyone at all can help me find ads (or even just remembers them) from the UK/Europe campaign, you would be doing me a MASSIVE favour.

Thanks in advance and sorry once again for a long-winded and needy first post!

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 5:35 am
by j-man
If you wait a few hours 'til I can get home, I'll scan you any ads I can find.

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 9:58 am
by monkey.
j-man wrote:If you wait a few hours 'til I can get home, I'll scan you any ads I can find.
That would be great, thanks!

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 10:33 am
by Crazy Penguin
There was a McDonald's Happy Meal promotion in the UK somwhere around July 2004 offering the same LCD games as in America (one of them being a Super Monkey Ball game). The boxes featured Sonic Heroes CG art. There was a TV advertisement for the promotion that I believe resident news guy Big Smile uploaded a while ago.

It looks like there'll be another Happy Meal promotion soon with new LCD games, there was a sign for them at my store that hasn't been put on display yet. Again, it featured Sonic Heroes CG art.

There was a nifty Sonic Heroes TV advertisement that was an A-Team parody.

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:09 am
by monkey.
Crazy Penguin wrote:There was a McDonald's Happy Meal promotion in the UK somwhere around July 2004 offering the same LCD games as in America (one of them being a Super Monkey Ball game). The boxes featured Sonic Heroes CG art. There was a TV advertisement for the promotion that I believe resident news guy Big Smile uploaded a while ago.

It looks like there'll be another Happy Meal promotion soon with new LCD games, there was a sign for them at my store that hasn't been put on display yet. Again, it featured Sonic Heroes CG art.

There was a nifty Sonic Heroes TV advertisement that was an A-Team parody.
Excellent, thanks. The McD's tie in was one of the things I was having trouble nailing.

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:17 am
by Omni Hunter
Around the time Sonic 3 was released there was another promotion. This was preceded by a similar promotion at Burger King around the relase of Sonic 2. I remember those cool kids toys like the spinning Robotnik!

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 3:23 pm
by big_smile
Secrets of Sonic Team contains lots of Sonic ad scans.

I can email you the UK commercials for the 2004 Mc Donald's tie-in, Sonic Advance 3 and Sonic Heroes (each commercial is under 6 MB, although I'm only on 56K so it may take awhile for them to arrive).

^_^

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 4:27 am
by monkey.
big_smile wrote:Secrets of Sonic Team contains lots of Sonic ad scans.

I can email you the UK commercials for the 2004 Mc Donald's tie-in, Sonic Advance 3 and Sonic Heroes (each commercial is under 6 MB, although I'm only on 56K so it may take awhile for them to arrive).

^_^
Brilliant, thanks very much. PM'd you with my email address.

You guys have been really helpful, thanks to you all.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 8:42 am
by Omni Hunter
Nooooooooo worries man.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 1:01 pm
by Green Gibbon!
We accept payment in the form of beautiful young virgins. No checks, please.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:21 pm
by Omni Hunter
And cheesecake please...

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:54 pm
by Popcorn
Green Gibbon! wrote:We accept payment in the form of beautiful young virgins. No checks, please.
They have to be virgins. Sexual experience intimidates us.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 3:09 pm
by Green Gibbon!
Preferably Asian.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 3:54 pm
by Baba O'Reily
Asians are overrated.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 3:58 pm
by Omni Hunter
I go with GG on this one, asians please.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 4:05 pm
by chriscaffee
Asians are overrated.
You say this as though you have some experience.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 4:06 pm
by Baba O'Reily
...You obviously are not aware of how much porn I have looked at.
The porn:real women ratio is about 4:3, and most asian porn I've seen is less than spectacular.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 4:28 pm
by Double-S-
Asian models are ugly.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 5:52 pm
by Segaholic2
So have you actually been with any real girls, Baba?

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 6:10 pm
by Esrever
I think I heard somewhere that Asian girls have really small penises, but that might be a rumour.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 6:17 pm
by Baba O'Reily
Segaholic2 wrote:So have you actually been with any real girls, Baba?
Dated? Yes. Slept with? No.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 6:54 pm
by Green Gibbon!
Boy, you people can kill a joke dead.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 7:11 pm
by Baba O'Reily
Incredible, huh?

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 7:23 pm
by Spazz
<img src="upload/files/jokekill.gif">

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 9:08 pm
by Omni Hunter
Very good summary Spazz.