Branding in games

[bluespikey]

I'm sure theres a game (Maybe more than one) with Mcdonalds golden arches in it. Maybe more than one. Am I dreaming?

Similarly, are there any games with Pepsi or Coke logos in it? They are all around in the 1980s and loved their merch, so something must have cropped up on the ZX.

(There is the Domark and McMillan logos which are similar, so I might be confused.)

(Mercenary also had a wireframe box with '12939' written on it, which could be picked up with the name 'Essential 15939 supply'. Looking through the back of the box, it did, of course, read 'PEPSI'. But I'm not thinking of that'.)

(There is also Mr Wimpy. But if you ate at a Wimpy and not McDonalds, you got laughed at. Its not that either.)

[PROSM]

The only one that springs to mind right now is Weetabix Versus the Titchies, priced at £3.75, or £2.75 if you were a member of the Weetabix Club.

[MatGubbins]

Tapper has the Pepsi logo on the bonus rounds of selecting the unshaken can of pop.

[Joefish]

None spring to mind, besides Weetabix and Wimpy. and the Wimpy one was just to try and legitimise a rip-off of Burger Time. I vaguely remember software companies (Ocean for example) putting their own logo in the background of sports games as sponsors.

I don't know if Action Biker had any KP Skips logos in-game? I don't think it did; just the box art and loading screen.

It wasn't until the 16-bit console games that you started to get games made for companies like McDonalds, Pepsi, 7-Up (Cool Spot). Some of these were on 16-bit computers as well. Push-Over on the ST and Amiga featured animations of the Quavers' dog mascot, but nothing in the playable part of the game. But that never got any 8-bit conversions. And Zool had Chupa-Chups lolly logos all over one of the levels, but again, no 8-bit computer conversions, just consoles and 16-bit computers.

[MatGubbins]

Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge had Adidas logo and Lucozade sponsorship.
Adidas Championship Football
Adidas Championship Tie-Break

[PeteProdge]

International Cricket, though I don't know if it's an actual agreed license deal...


Not a cricket fan at all, but I'm fairly certain 'Cornhill Insurance' was a highly prominent sponsor of the sport in the 1980s.

Oh, isn't there some rugby game with John Menzies as a sponsor? I wonder if WHSmiths, Woolworths and Boots enjoyed stocking that one?

Either way, it's lot more inventive and realistic than the placards being the software company or the development team's name.

[Joefish]

Well remembered! But why does the database list it as Test Cricket, when the title International Cricket is all over the loading screen and cassette inlay? Interesting that they put the effort in to making the insurance company's logo readable, but just did the word 'Cricket' at the bottom of the screen in some feeble 3-lump-high lo-res chunky graphics. Did they run out of UDGs?

[Morkin]

World Series Baseball has a bunch of different adverts on the big screen at various points. I could've sworn I saw a Coke or Pepsi add up there, but may have imagined it.



I'm not sure how prevalent WH Smith was in the States in the 80s, or whether you'd be likely to see their name on a screen at a baseball game... I'm sure one of our US contributors would be able to confirm...

[Einar Saukas]

Well remembered! But why does the database list it as Test Cricket, when the title International Cricket is all over the loading screen and cassette inlay?

Explained here.

[Van_Dammesque]

The Mad Mix Game, I'm sure it was on the front of YS mag:

Remarks:
Licenced by Pepsi for their 'Mad Mix Game: The Pepsi Challenge' campaign. This version is different from the original Spanish version: The main character sprite is different, and there are some levels missing.

The Muncher, with chewits sweets.

[clebin]

Similarly, are there any games with Pepsi or Coke logos in it? They are all around in the 1980s and loved their merch, so something must have cropped up on the ZX.

There was. US Gold’s release of The Mad Mix Game had Pepsi Challenge branding slapped on it.

[Joefish]

The Muncher, like Action Biker, only had the endorsement as far as the loading screen. The game itself had nothing to do with the brand.
As for Mad Mix, I've seen various screenshots - looks like the C64 and ST versions might have had the PEPSI logo on the scoreboard at the bottom of the screen, but I've yet to find a screen that showed anything in-game on the Spectrum version. Was there anything on the game's title page?

[clebin]

As for Mad Mix, I've seen various screenshots - looks like the C64 and ST versions might have had the PEPSI logo on the scoreboard at the bottom of the screen, but I've yet to find a screen that showed anything in-game on the Spectrum version. Was there anything on the game's title page?

Not judging by the TZX on this site. It looks like the cover was the only thing they changed. It would have been quite an easy make-over you'd think, except, US Gold.

[Lee Bee]

I'm sure theres a game (Maybe more than one) with Mcdonalds golden arches in it.

I remember it too, but it was on the Amiga:





If I recall, the game got quite a lot of magazine coverage for what is possibly the tackiest marketing stunt game ever made. Also, how is this sinister clown not the villain?

[Van_Dammesque]

There was. US Gold’s release of The Mad Mix Game had Pepsi Challenge branding slapped on it.

[Einar Saukas]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/references.php

[bucephalus]

Pud Pud In Weird World sorta had it, with cans of 7-Urp:

[Lee P]

The Dinamic/Mastertronic game Video Olimpic/Video Olympic has a Coke logo on the loading screen, and fake ads for "Noescafé", "Adidis", "Kode" (Kodak) and "Cocaina"!

[Juan F. Ramirez]

Whopper chase:

[TMD2003]

The Dinamic/Mastertronic game Video Olimpic/Video Olympic has a Coke logo on the loading screen, and fake ads for "Noescafé", "Adidis", "Kode" (Kodak) and "Cocaina"!

Talking of which, let's not forget Cristian Gonzalez and his "Noentiendo" brand, which I'm assuming is actual Spanish (or mangled Spanish) for "unintentional" or something like that. Apparently, the lawyers haven't battered his door down yet.

I am further reminded of a PC game from the 1990s with similarly altered advertising boards, all of which were identifiable as manufacturers of everything needed for motor racing. The only one I can remember off the top of my head was "Pichelin", styled to look like the Pirelli logo with the long P, rather than Michelin. It was a cheap game, most likely one where I'd have seen a demo version lurking on a covermount CD of PC Gamer or the like, and I'm fairly sure it wasn't Wacky Wheels or Manic Karts, both of which were contenders...

...got it! Big Red Racing. "Modil 2" was another of their off-brands. "Ryuwood" (for "Kenwood" as well...!) And yes, it is the same Big Red that made the later Dizzy games.

[Mpk]

911 TS was promoting a Dunlop tyre, and not a cheap way to get a Porsche brand tie-in. Perish the thought.