Al Nilsen

Alfred Nilsen

Employment history: Sega of America Viacom New Media
Role(s): Director of Global Marketing
Education: Boston University - Questrom School of Business (Bachelor of Marketing Science and Arts; 1979)

This teeny-tiny article needs some work. You can help us by expanding it.

Alfred “Al” Nilsen is an American businessman and marketer, and former Director of Global Marketing for Sega of America. Nilsen’s work was crucial to the successful rise of the Sega Genesis and the establishment of Sonic the Hedgehog’s American presence.

Nilsen has been honored by Advertising Age as one of the top marketers in the United States.

History

Al Nilsen is responsible for some of Sega of America’s most recognized marketing. Coordinating such attention-getting campaigns such as Sega World Tour '91 and Sonic 2sday, his youthful exhuberance resulted in events that connected directly with a then-unsure public, and were above all, fun.

Nilsen’s efforts were key to the scrappy but determined feeling of Sega of America, especially in regards to its marketing, and his ability to think creatively was crucial to the company’s successful growth in a Nintendo-monopolized market.

Production history

Games

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (Mega Drive; 1990) — Special Thanks^[1]
Chakan (Mega Drive; 1992) — Special Thanks^[2]
Chakan (Game Gear; 1992) — Special Thanks^[3]
Ecco the Dolphin (Mega-CD; 1993) — Marketing^[4]
Ecco the Dolphin (Mega-CD; 1993) — Special Thanks^[5]
Ecco the Dolphin (Mega Drive; 1992) — Marketing^[6]

Videos

Sonic 30th Anniversary Symphony () — Special Thanks

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive Version) (1992) — Development Support (uncredited)
Sonic CD (1993) — Development Support (uncredited)
Phantom 2040 (Mega Drive and SNES Versions) (1995) — Special Thanks to

Interviews

Interview: Al Nilsen (2008-03-11) by Sega-16

Photographs

Main article: Photos of Al Nilsen

External links

Al Nilsen on LinkedIn
Al Nilsen on Twitter
Former Sega of America Marketing Director Al Nilsen Reveals How Tails Became Tails article by Bob Mackey at USgamer

References

[:File:Moonwalker_MD_credits.pdf_p-1] File:Moonwalker MD credits.pdf

[:File:Chakan_MD_US_Manual.pdf_p18-2] File:Chakan MD US Manual.pdf, page 18

[:File:Chakan_GG_US_Manual.pdf_p2-3] File:Chakan GG US Manual.pdf, page 2

[:File:EccoTheDolphin_MCD_JP_SSCredits.pdf_p-4] File:EccoTheDolphin MCD JP SSCredits.pdf

[:File:Ecco_mcd_us_manual.pdf_p28-5] File:Ecco mcd us manual.pdf, page 28

[:File:Ecco_the_Dolphin_MD_US_credits.pdf_p-6] File:Ecco the Dolphin MD US credits.pdf

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]