Could Social Media Giant Have Made Sonic Mainstream Again?
Twitter has birds. Google’s Android has robots. Facebook almost had a blue hedgehog and, we suspect, a lengthy legal battle with Sega.
Overlooked until today is a piece from last week’s Los Angeles Times that suggests Facebook considered using a mascot to promote the social media behemoth to small businesses. The idea, according to ex-Facebook employee Ezra Callahan, was that of Facebook’s first president Sean Parker, who previously helped the world steal music. Says Callahan:
True story: in the very early days of Facebook, Sean Parker wanted to make Facebook’s mascot a hedgehog. We had early plans to build a local business program around each college on the site (a Yelp-like service similar to what later became Facebook Pages). As part of that, Sean wanted us to send each participating business a little blue stuffed hedgehog. Matt Cohler and I even sourced a couple companies to make them.Sean actually wanted us to get a real hedgehog for the office. Turns out they aren’t street legal in California, or something, but I guess he found a way to obtain one in Nevada. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your affinity for hedgehogs) Sean couldn’t convince any of us to drive there to get one.
The local business program was shelved mid 2005 (we decided a revenue product wasn’t as important after the Accel financing), and Sean let his dream of the hedgehog go with it.
Had Facebook went through with the idea, a lawsuit with Sega would almost be an inevitability. On the other hand, given its recent $50 billion valuation by Goldman Sachs, Facebook has the means to buy Sega outright, or they could have tried to forge a relationship with the company, with Sonic as a dual mascot representing the way the world changed communication. That’s one way to remain relevant in a fractured gaming landscape. Do you think such an alliance would mend Sonic’s reputation as a gaming icon? Tell us below in the comments.
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It’s kinda sad that companies can have a copyright on the idea of a “blue hedgehog,” “blue hippo,” “pink panther,” “red bull,” etc. Yet I don’t see Dove suing Twitter for using a bird.
NO! simply NOT
I can’t believe that’s even a question. I think the gaming world at large would laugh Sonic into an early grave if he was ever officially affiliated with Facebook, and I can easily see a lot of people forever labeling Sega as “sellouts” for it.
Eh, I really couldn’t care either way, though it would be a bit shameful knowing Sonic would need promotion such as that.
@ChaoticFox
Wasn’t he already laughed into an early grave?
One could certainly make that argument, lol. But if you want to put it that way, then a move like this would be more like digging up his body and raping it.
Ugh – imagine Facebook buying SEGA out just for Sonic?
@Soran: Huh, that’s funny, I could’ve sworn I saw Sonic kickin’ life last November, or was that another blue hedgehog in a colourful platformer?
Mend Sonic’s reputation by making good games. It’s THAT simple.
@Andre
LMAO!!! LOL LOL EXACTLY!!!
The hedgehog would have to look similar to Sonic for a lawsuit to even be considered, right?
@tailsthehedgehog
The hedgehog you’re referring to had a completely different voice than Sonic, so it probably WAS an entirely different character, amirite?
But in all seriousness, yeah, 2010 was definitely a comeback for Sonic, though he was faltering in terms of quality and popularity prior to that.
This could easily be the worst thing Sega does with Sonic!
It’s always been kind of surprising to me that Sonic was never the mascot for Sonic Drive-In. That’s a missed merchandising opportunity if I’ve ever seen one.
I wonder how the mechanics of making massive social networks are like? In any case that would be a disturbing move to me considering the talk of facebook and other networks that could make Sonic look like the bad guy.
ChaoticFox: Maybe you’re right.
@KyleJCrb
It’s even funnier when you realize that chili dogs are on their menu.
That would… actually be kinda cool, hah.
@Teh Chrisizard & KyleJCrb
Hmm? I thought they did do one way back in the 90′s. There was this Tails tail propeller toy that was one of the toys given, that was them wasn’t it? Maybe they only did it in Tennessee (where I lived at the time)?
McDonalds had the Tails propeller toy.
And Sonic being.a dual mascot for SEGA and Facebook? I rather not. Sonic should be a character most recognized by video games, not a social networking site. You don’t see a Miku Hatsune-lookalike posing as American Idol’s mascot.
@ KyleJCrb:
Funny you should mention that. I thought I was the only one who ever thought about the idea of Sonic’s Drive-In having Sonic as the mascot. lol!
Okay, almost EVERYONE has a facebook. It would help Sonic become more popular with everyone.
???: Sonic’s already incredibly popular with casual gamers as is. A partnership with Facebook would deal Sonic hard blows for helping promote casual games like Farmville and Frontierville. Please, this type of partnership would dig him into an even deeper hole.
Yeah, as much as everyone would hate to admit it, it would have definitely forced Sonic back into the mainstream. Sonic would seem like less of a kid’s video game character to “regular” people (non-gamers), and would appear more like an ambassador. Sonic is on everything you can think of in Japan so to be recognized alongside Facebook wouldn’t entirely be a stretch. I can’t entirely say that it would’ve been beneficial to gamers (I would like to think it would), but it would’ve definitely been beneficial to the company as a whole. It’s just cool to think of what would’ve been. Hopefully, SEGA can get back to prominence without the help of larger companies like Facebook though. Maybe someday we’ll even see a more powerful version of the Dreamcast that will hopefully outlive it’s predecessor. One can only hope….
Oh no, no, no, no, no nonononno. Sonic is Sega’s, only Sega’s, and will ever only be Sega’s. It may have been an opportunity at a business viewpoint, but a tragedy to a fan. There will only be one.
~Micheche
Sonick, forcing Sonic back into the mainstream (rather than letting him earn his place there with quality products) would only make people RESENT him more, and reflect on how far he has seemingly fallen. Rather than your ambassador analogy, I think the exact opposite would occur… instead of non-gamers seeing him as a likable Facebook mascot, those people would see him as a representation of fame whoring and poor brand management.
Especially when you consider that Facebook is primarily dominated by people who take social networking more seriously than a cartoon character. Save that shit for Gaia online.
Plastering Sonic’s face all over his own merch is one thing, but using him to advertise for a completely non-gaming related company would just make him (as well as Sega) look like they were desperately grasping at straws.
Reading the actual interview part again, it never even mentions Sonic, so it does beg the question: Was Sonic even on this guy’s mind when he decided he wanted to do this?
@Sora
Not specifically. His desire for a BLUE hedgehog may have been inspired BY Sonic at the very most, but even that doesn’t seem like a guarantee I would bet on. I can tell you right now that it was NEVER this guy’s intention to have or obtain rights to use the ACTUAL Sonic as a mascot, though.
Really nice info there. But I think that it’d be pretty good for Sonic to be on Facebook. That way, there would be more Sonic Fans arround the world.
No way.
Simple.
NO.