Kids Go HoJo with Sega

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Kids Go HoJo with Sega was a Sega of America-sponsored marketing campaign for the American hotel/motel chain Howard Johnson's, produced by Californian marketing firm Strottman International.

Campaign

Born from a venture between Sega of America and the American chain of hotels and motels Howard Johnson's, Kids Go HoJo with Sega was a unique summer promotion intended to increase room sales at the company's properties by making the chain seen more enticing to the children of possible lodgers. The promotion ran in all Howard Johnson's across the United States of America and Canada over three periods: From May 24th through September 6th, 1993, from May 27th through September 5th, 1994, and from May 27th through September 4th, 1995. During the promotion, all the company's hotels, motels, and inns were equipped with life-size cutouts of Sonic the Hedgehog displayed in the lobby for guests to take souvenir photographs with.

Sega provided Howard Johnson's properties with Sega Game Gears and a small library of video game titles for guests to play at no charge. Through the Kids Go HoJo Fun Club, children were also provided with a collectible series of Sonic the Hedgehog FunPacks containing Sega-themed puzzles, games, booklets, and toys, a series of VHS promotional features were available to rent or purchase, Sega Game Gear Tips Volume 1 and Sega Game Gear Tips Volume 2, and a free subscription to Sega Visions magazine.

Game Gear rentals

List of rentable games

• Cheese Cat-Astrophe Starring Speedy Gonzales
• Ecco: The Tides of Time
• The Lion King
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
• NFL '95
• Phantom 2040
• Ristar
• Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble
• Taz in Escape from Mars
• Tempo Jr.
• World Series Baseball
• World Series Baseball '95
• X-Men: GamesMaster's Legacy

Sega Game Gear Tips

Main article: Sega Game Gear Tips Volume 1, Sega Game Gear Tips Volume 2

History

Created by marketer Michael Berreth of American advertising agency Strottman International, Kids Go HoJo with Sega was supported by a $3,500,000 advertising campaign, including commercials on national television, print advertisements, and radio promotions, as well as local, grassroots promotions in smaller advertising areas.

The campaign was largely a success, with Howard Johnson's seeing a notable 9% increase in room sales, resulting in the chain becoming the leader of its respective consumer lodging market.

Legacy

For its accomplishments with the Kids Go HoJo with Sega campaign, Strottman International was awarded the CSPA Award of Excellence for Best Worldwide Traffic-Building Promotion.

Promotional material

File:Kids Go HoJo US TVAdvert.mp4

US TV advert

File:Kids Go HoJo US TVAdvert.mp4

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #12: "April/May 1993" (1993-xx-xx)

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #18: "April/May 1994" (1994-xx-xx)

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #24: "May 1995" (1995-xx-xx)

Images

1993 FunPack

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1994 FunPack

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1995 FunPack

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Logos

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  The campaign's 1993 logo.

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  The campaign's 1994 logo.

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  The campaign's 1995 logo.

External links

• Official website (Howard Johnson Hotels)
• Press & Awards (Michael Berreth)