Black History of Game Industry: Advertising in Sports Events

This picture is a real photo, not some PS entertainment.Senna, the famous F1 driver who was once undefeatable on the track did lift such a trophy.

It stems from the cooperation between sports and video games. On Nov. 11, 1993, Senna won another big victory after he defeated his old opponent Alain Prost in the British Grand Prix. As a F1 driver, he had already won 3 world champion titles, but this one was still worth recording in Formula One’s history. Of course, it was not because SEGA or Sonic…

Standing on the podium of Donington Park, lifting Sonic-shaped trophy over his head, Senna was immersed in the joy of victory and also left the world a precious moment. No one could ever think at the time that the biggest tragedy in Formula One’s history would happen to him the next year on the San Marino track. That accident terminated his champion road and his life.

Although over 18 years has passed, this picture still can’t be strange for players who were born in the last 70s or the 80s, especially those SEGA and Dreamcast fans. Similarly, car racing fans also searched for this photo each year to review that exciting moment and express their love and regret for this greatest driver in the 20th Century in spite that the trophy in this photo did seem a little weird for them.

Speaking of history, we cannot skip the links between video games and sports. Not only SEGA, many big game companies have been keeping close ties with sports ever since early 80s last century. These ties not only showed in the clubs and players in FIFA or Winning Eleven, but also everywhere in the real football field.

Back to last century when Nintendo and SEGA were common faces in the top European soccer leagues, especially in Barclays Premier League, their trademarks and advertisings appeared on the turf, signboard and player’s jersey all the time. They had spent millions of dollars to sponsor those wealthy top league clubs and players. However, what they got in return was just sesame–big benefit.

In fact, such sponsorship was neither a fashion at that time. Many people considered it as something vulgar. Plus the meager benefit, only insurance companies and casinos kept advertising on the jersey for some following period.

Since it didn’t pay well in the premier league, SEGA turned to Formula One World Championship, another hot worldwide sports event at that time. In 1993, SEGA bought out a whole week of advertising right on Donington track, so that grand prix was also called SEGA European GP.

In addition to the title, SEGA also owned the right to put its advertise on the starting area, finishing area and the podium as well. So there was the Sonic-shaped trophy. Among all the trophies Senna had lifted, this one must be the oddest.

However, it was probably also the coolest. The gesture and the implied meaning of this trophy both matched with the spirit of Formula One. Sonic the Hedgehog owns the impressive speed that is close to that of sound just as a Formula One racing car does. And the gesture that he wipes off sweat while holding his trophy also showed his humanity and revealed that every victory Senna won came from hard work and struggle. So in the eyes of car racing and game fans, the photo of Senna lifing Sonic-shaped trophy probably is more touching than his any other champion photos.

Unfortunately, it was the very opposite situation with Senna. For him, lifting this Sonic-shaped trophy was nothing more than a requirement. The true joy was the victory, so after taking this photo, he threw the Sonic-shaped trophy aside and looking for the formal one. Although we don’t know exactly where the Sonic-shaped trophy is lying now, it is reasonable to think that it must be left at the corner of some British headquarters warehouse, covered by thick dust.

The accident happening to Senna brought continuous sadness to the whole cycle of Formula One and caused a series of significant reforms. But it didn’t affect those video game manufactures’ enthusiasm in advertising in sports. Early this year, we had saw some major Japanese publishersposting pasters of EVA, Suzumiya Haruhi and Miku all over several racing cars include Ferrari, Porsche and BMW.

It happened when the second round of Japan Super GT Grand Prixwas held in Fuji Speedway this May. During GT300 competition, the audience were all astonished by colorful racing cars. All kinds of ACG characters and trademarks that are only known by indoorsygeeksbefore appeared on each racing car.

Different from video games, Japanese animation got involved with car racing just in recent years. However, it is now very common for Japanese animation companies to advertise on the racing car. Some of the drivers would even wear racing driver costumespaintedwith ACG characters.

The cooperation between video game manufacturers and sports events will not stop. Although it is rare now for game manufacturers to follow the style of SEGA who made a Sonic-shaped trophy, the game industry is also much different from ten years ago. We have every reason to believe that one day in the future, we will see more of famous game-related elements in more world-renowned spo