In an effort to market their new game Sonic: Lost World and breathe new life into the Sonic franchise, Sega has announced two separate events this summer. One is Sonic Boom, which will take place in Saint Louis on August 10th, and the other is Summer of Sonic which will take place in London on August 3. The theme of Summer of Sonic is “Metal Sonic and Badniks,” referencing Sonic’s metallic enemies. Sega is also sponsoring events in Japan under the Summer of Sonic title, including rock concerts featuring bands like Metallica and Linkin Park.
Trivia, costume contests, artwork displays and more Sonic-related goodies will be at both the St. Louis and London events. For several years, the Sonic franchise had faltered under the weight of underperforming games like Sonic Unleashed and Sonic and the Black Knight. Sonic Generations and Sonic Colors were both huge steps toward regaining fans’ good graces, and hopefully Sonic: Lost World will cement the speedy hedgehog’s return to form. To earn back the trust of consumers, events like these in the U.S. and UK go a long way toward connecting with a public that has grown distant from the “Blue Blur.”
Game marketers are often turning to events as a way to stand out from other products and grab some attention beyond the usual channels. Gathering people in public places will get a lot of press attention from local media, and often is amplified by social media to a very wide audience.
Source: Polygon
