Sega Creates an Animal Crossing to Promote Sonic Colours
Posted by James Newton
Wordplay!
Okay, so Sega isn't really creating an instalment in Nintendo's happiest franchise Animal Crossing, but the blue and white company did create a safe hedgehog crossing point in London to promote this Friday's release of Sonic Colours for Wii and DS.
With 50,000 hedgehogs a year lacking the speed to cross British roads safely, Sega dedicated a stretch of London asphalt to educating the country about the endangered animals. With a blue walkway and dedicated lollipop person (that's a "crossing guard") to stop traffic, Sega hopes to get the word out about its latest hedgehog outing in this most unusual way.
The best news is that we all get to benefit by looking at a photo of a real hedgehog wearing Sonic's iconic red shoes.
[via 1up.com]
#1
Skotski said:
Darnit! That fooled me for a sec!
#2
Deviant_Mugen said:
Sounds like a great marketing/awareness move by Sega...
#3
erv said:
I love this promotion. Very well done.
Hope the hedgehogs will benefit permanently though. They're too awesome to be ignored.
#4
Aviator said:
OMG DERE SO CUTE!!
#5
JakobG said:
Daaaaaawwwww…
Finally, SEGA get's it's stuff done.
#6
DrCruse said:
That picture is EPIC!
#7
Dev said:
That picture's cute! This was a good marketing move.
#8
NGpenguin said:
i was fooled
#9
GamesX99 said:
That hedgehogs feet are so cute
#10
DrCruse said:
I will buy the hedgehog.
#11
HanuKwanzMasBif said:
Now I need to get Sonic Colors... ERGH... MUST RESIST... NAWRP! I'll buy one ASAP. DANGIT!
okay Sega wins. durf.
#12
Hipster-Dashie said:
Where abouts in London is this? If it's close enough I may pay them a visit.
#13
wes008 said:
I had a hedgehog for a pet. They're the sweetest things you could imagine. I'm glad Sega is doing this. Only two "plot holes." 1. Couldn't the hedgehogs cross at other places? and 2. How is this supposed to promote Sonic Colors?
#14
ninjaboy1212 said:
This is why I love Sega, they're more committed than other companies to help the world and at Sonic speed
#15
SirGreatNose said:
Now, if Nintendo could just do something nice for plumbers. Like keeping ghosts from chasing them, or protecting them from flung hammers, keeping turtles away from them...
#16
fishman100 said:
that's really cute!
#17
triforceofcourage said:
What Hedgehogs aren't actually fast!
#18
shinesprite said:
Interesting!
#19
motang said:
I don't know who thought of this, but it is one cool publicity campaign!
#20
Nintendo-64 said:
In germany we have a lot of tunnels under streets for wandering animals like frogs,hedgehogs and so on. And now is the time were a lot of weak or ill hedgehogs are found so a lot people have some in there basements and help them to survive the winter and let them go in the spring again.
#21
SilverBaretta said:
Hahahahahahahaha! I love this! What an interesting ad campaign!
#22
Caliko said:
@Nintendo-64 wait, so people catch hedgehogs and give them shelter in Germany? Or do the hedgehogs run for shelter at residents home? That's sweet.
I don't think I quite understand any of this. Can someone help?
So Sega is paying a person to walk hedgehogs safely through a highway? How permanent is this? Will anyone even see the crossing guard while going 70MPH? This might cause a bad accident. Shouldn't they have funded a passageway for the hedgehogs instead? And how does this promote Sonic Colors?
#23
Bassman_Q said:
Haha I like how random this ad campaign is!
But its for a good cause, so win-win.
#24
Sonic1994CD said:
You know that one blue hedgehog in animal crossing
reminds me of sonic a bit.
#25
blink83 said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE3YKUXLfgs this streett vross is wierd
#26
Aviator said:
Usually, these crossings allow the animals to cross underneath the road, and by the lollipop, I presume it will be a general road sign, Animal Crossing (hey I did it too)!
#27
PunnyGuy said:
Compared to Sonic, other hedgehogs are too slooooow!
It was nice of Sega to help out those real hedgehogs.
#28
Nintendo-64 said:
@Caliko Of course the hedgehogs wont be caught just if someone see one running across their gardens or in the forests. It is just allowed if you find baby hedgehogs without their parents or if you find very skinny or sick ones. Then you can bring them home.
#29
fishman100 said:
@Nintendo-64
Person 1: "What? there's a hedgehog in my backyard!"
Person 2: "Go and exterminate it, then! Don't just stand there gaping!"
Person 1: "Okay okay. Here little hedgehog, come to daddy!Lemme pick you up and move you to another-OWWWWWWWWW WHAT THE @@@@ IN THE @@%#&$ WAS THAT OWWW I PRICKED MYSELF OWW @@#%@ @@%#@ @@@&#^@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
#30
sonic_brawler95 said:
This made me lol.
#31
Pj1 said:
Nice one Sega!
yeah where is this crossing?
I'd like to Sega to bring out a blue controller PLEASE!!
#32
Capt_N said:
Hopefully, but doubtfully, this will continue after Sonic Colors.
#33
Big_A2 said:
This is the strangest "good cause" I have ever heard of.