Back in the Sega Genesis / Super NES heyday the two really went to battle for the hearts and minds of game players everywhere. While Nintendo stayed true (mostly) to their family friendly entertainment model, Sega went in the opposite direction.

Sega needed a way to chip away at Nintendo’s 90% percent market share. They decided to target the older gamer. The kid who had an Atari and a NES, but now was a teenager. Packng in Altered Beast was a great first step. They made the system seem somehow more grown-up, like taking the training wheels off your bike, or swimming in the deep end of the pool. It’s just growng up. Sega’s Genesis not only appealed to the older crowd, but they sold the idea that if you were cool, you played Genesis. Playing with your Nintendo is what your little brother did.

This was new territory for everyone, because Nintendo ruled the videogame world in the previous cycle with the ubiquitous NES, Sega’s Master System was a non-issue. And before that, Atari controlled the market and Intellivision never competed on the same level. You may all remember one of your friends having the Intellivision, but everyone else had the Atari.

The battle is especially noteworthy that it was without a doubt the closest fought round of the console wars to date, with both consoles contending for the dominant market share. And depending on the data you look at, either console could’ve won in the end. But they each got there through totally opposite PR schemes.

Early on, commercials focused not so much on the system, but on one of the games. This commercial is for Super Mario World, which was bundled with the Super NES.

Notice how it showed nothing but gameplay from beginning to end. Just footage of the game. What makes this all the more interesting is that as graphics got better since then, commercials showed less and less in-game footage. Until they didn’t show any gameplay footage at all. Things haven’t really changed, except now they try to trick us. But I digress.

Sega had their own game-centric, footage filled commercial for Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

In this spot they also focus on the merits of their game. Levels, characters, game modes, etc. As time went on, they would focus less of their strengths and more of Nintendo’s weaknesses.

Such as this spot, in which they tout their “Blast Processing”. Which in all honesty, is nothing. It means nothing at all. But they were pushing more for the cool/uncool angle. Making you feel left out if you played Nintendo. Features considerably less in the way of gameplay footage.

On top of putting down the other system, Sega did hit gold with the “Welcome to the Next Level” tagline. That and the “Sega Scream” would be used in most of their commercials from here on out.

They kept up this approach with their “Genesis does what Nintendon’t spots”. This is really the culmination of the battling back and forth between the companies. They offered free games, discounts, antything under the sun to get more kids to want their system. Finally, Sega just called out Nintendo. They even had a song!

It’s classic 80’s! Heavy use of (at the time) famous spokespeople. Michael Jackson, Joe Montana, Pat Riley, Buster Douglas. Pretty potential line-up back then. Well, maybe not THAT great, but they were trying.

Although Nintendo had their own tie-ins as well, this spot missed the mark. Of course the spot is heavily tied in with Pepsi (which had their own name-calling spat with Coca-Cola) and features Bo Jackson (Bo knows product endorsement).

They would need to fire back a little harder.

Sega, on the other hand, kept up their attack. There were tons of these “Genesis Does” ads, touting how their system was better than the other guys.

Eventually, Nintendo would respond to Sega’s televised sucker punch. They responded with a commercial that advertised the game that most agree would go on to win them the console wars. The game sold like gangbusters, the game was Donkey Kong Country.

I love this spot cause it not only responds to Sega’s “Nintendon’t” ad. but it does it showing almost all game footage.

Most agree that Nintendo eventually won out over Sega during this console cycle, it was only at the very end of the life cycle, when Sega was too busy with add-ons like the SegaCD and the 32X. During it’s prime, Genesis was the game console the cool kids wanted. Just goes to show how much of an impact marketing can have on us.

Of course it’s no guarantee of success. Here’s one more spot for you. Sega is trying to same tactic, altough this time the outcome was much, much different.

Calling it the “Plaything” didn’t stop people from wanting to play it. The Sony Playstation had some incredible games, and would go on to become the most famous (and popular) videogame console on the planet.

So what does it all mean? Nothing really. But at the time, as a kid, it was an exciting time to be a gamer. Both companies did everything short of hand-delivering a system to your front-door. I remember when I got a Genesis it came with 3 free games. And after mailing in some UPC codes later on I got another free game. Course, on the downside, I bought into the whole Nintendon’t/Blast Processing nonsense. I got a SNES, but not until much later. I wanted the Bad-ass Genesis.

I suppose as a fitting coda, Sega would end up eating a large heaping of crow. In ten years time, Sega would be making games for both Nintendo and Sony, as well as Microsoft. After getting beat out of the market with their Dreamcast. (Which was a great system, but no one wanted to trust them after the SegaCD, 32X, and Saturn.)

Links to my other advertising features:
Part 2: Sony sells Playstation lifestyle - Strange Sony ads
Part 3: Ads in the Land of the Rising Sun - Bizarre Japanese Ads
Part 4: Japan Strikes Back! - Bizarre Japanese Ads 2nd Edition
Part 5: You had me at konichiwa (Japan ads 3rd edition)

This list of commercials is by no means complete, it barely even scratches the surface of everything that went on between these two companies back then. Sometimes it’s just fun to look back. This article is by no means definitve. Take it all with a grain of salt. Enjoy.

Thanks to YouTube.com and all those for uploading the videos.