Top Brand Partnerships With Sonic The Hedgehog 2

Chelsea Collins | April 26, 2022 at 8:30 AM

The Live-Action Film Giving Brands Life

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is panning out to be one of the post-COVID films taking theatres by storm and reminding fans how fun going to the movies really is! So, naturally, brands wanted to get in on the action too. Thanks to an incredibly successful original film, released pre-COVID in 2020, and an all-star cast (have you SEEN Jim Carrey in this one!?), partnering with this film really was a no-brainer.

The cool thing about this fresh take on the iconic video game character is that the film has a little something for everybody. With a PG rating, it’s certainly family-friendly, but the cast and the hysterical content, not to mention the nostalgia make this one truly enjoyable for the whole family. This popularity across generations is reflected in the variety of brands that partnered with this property. In this blog, Hollywood Branded explores our top brand partnerships with Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Xbox

So...this is cool! In celebration of this film’s release, Xbox released a limited-edition black console featuring a shiny gold portal ring players of the game know all too well, accompanied by even COOLER furry controllers inspired by Sonic and the film’s new nemesis, Knuckles. The controllers operate like normal controllers, but according to Xbox officials, the fur is meant to imitate the coat of a real-life hedgehog.

Wanna snag one? Not so fast! The set is only available in two ways. The first is by entering the sweepstakes by retweeting the official Xbox sweepstakes tweet and using their custom hashtag “#XboxSonic2Sweepstakes.” The second is by redeeming Microsoft Rewards points online.

The icing on this partnership cake was an update to the “Sonic the Hedgehog World” in Minecraft, which was originally released in June 2021. The new features include new skins, characters, and a new zone all in celebration of the film.

Sonic Controllers 2

Sonic Controllers

Candy Crush

It’s a classic collaboration of the old world of video games and the new world of mobile games in this partnership between Sonic and Candy Crush! To commemorate the film, the two have joined teams in a collaboration that sees Sonic and his sidekick Tails team up with Candy Crush’s Tiffi and Yetti to return the stolen master emerald! But don’t worry; it wasn’t that easy. Along the way players were met with Sonic’s nemesis Dr. Robotnik and his sidekick Knuckles, along with Candy Crush’s Jelly Queen doing their best to stop you in your tracks.

The game also featured Sonic Spin Dash Candies, which are special treats helping to fuel the Sonic character and of course, unlock some cool in-game boosters. That was not all though. Fans of the Sonic franchise most likely could also recognize Sonic-inspired music sounds and sound effects.

Paramount’s SVP of global partnerships at Paramount Pictures elaborated a bit more in a statement, saying, “It’s rewarding to pair these two iconic franchises for a unique experience that Sonic fans and Candy Crush Saga players alike can be surprised and delighted with ahead of the film’s release.”

This event promoted the film’s release to the additional millions of games lovers playing Candy Crush, and it was a gameplay that only lasted for 5 days so players had to get in and enjoy it quickly!

Sonic Candy Crush1

FILA

Is it even a cool property anymore without an official streetwear drop? Luckily Sonic 2 didn’t miss a beat thanks to FILA! The sportswear company teamed up with Paramount Pictures to celebrate with a special Sonic-themed version of their Ray Tracer Evo sneaker. The unisex slip-on sneaker, priced at $115, is an all-red mesh and features both the FILA and the Sonic 2 logo on the front tongue and the back heel tab.

fila sonic shoes

You might actually recognize the shoe as Sonic is gifted a similar-looking pair in the first film, revealing it’s the first gift he’d ever been given. He then goes on to wear them throughout the film.

And of course, further honoring Sonic’s iconic speed, the shoes sold out FAST, in less than 24-hours to the disappointment of adults and kids alike (the sneaker ranged in size from 3.5 – 13). But, fear not sneakerheads! A recent announcement from FILA hints that a restock may be in our future!

Iconic Partnerships From An Iconic Franchise

While the partnerships spelled out above are our favorites, notable mentions were McDonald’s, Tastykake, and Valpak. Paramount Pictures really did an incredible job with this film giving fans of all ages and interests something Sonic 2-themed that they could gravitate to. Both kids and parents can enjoy Sonic 2 with McDonald’s and Tastykake. We have gamers who without a doubt are going to be dying to get their hands on not only a custom console, but one-of-a-kind fur controllers, something that is so incredibly unique to both a fan and a player.

Then we have the gaming continued with the Candy Crush partnership, which is really such a great collaboration between an iconic game originating in the early 90s and one of the most popular mobile games of all time. Seeing the blend of the two is an incredibly entertaining thing!

And then of course the FILA partnership for all the sneakerheads out there! The shoes are special in what they represent from the film, but also in the fact that they’re a take on one of the brand’s most popular styles. It’s not surprising these guys sold out fast, but we’re confident a restock is in store!

These partnerships always seem to impress to take brands to the next level. They’re innovative and creative, giving fans of both the film and the brand something incredibly unique and limited to look forward to!

Eager To Learn More?

These partnerships come with every major (and even some not-so-major!) film release and some episodic releases as well! Please check out some more examples below!

Are you a pro podcaster? Want to share your marketing tips? Apply to become on our show "Marketing Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)!"