After 115 bad advertisements for games, accessories and systems, we figured it was about time to switch things up by displaying this commercial for the Official Sega Genesis Seal of Quality. This didn't advertise a game and it's technically not a bad design, but we figured we would include it because the whole idea of selling people on a seal of quality seems silly.

This commercial brags that "17 companies have earned the right to display this seal." Oh really? I suppose that would mean something if those companies actually released high-quality games every single time. Unfortunately, those 17 companies ended up releasing games like Cyber Cop, Test Drive II, Mike Ditka Footbal, Dynamite Duke and Budokan ... some of the worst 16-bit games of all time. It's going to take years of explaining how a game like Battle Master was able to withstand the scrutiny of the quality control department at Sega.

And why just focus on the quality of the third parties? What about all of those shoddy games that Sega ended up releasing on the Genesis? I'm talking about games like Green Dog and Kid Chameleon. And let's not forget about Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II, the sequel to one of the absolute best racing games of the 16-bit era. If there was any justice at all, your Official Sega Genesis Seal of Quality would have been revoked the moment that game hit store shelves.

Even some of your so-called classics weren't all that great. It's not like Altered Beast caught the world on fire; it's a short and repetitive action game with terrible control. And does anybody have any kind words for Last Battle? The point is, not even Sega can live up to their own seal of quality.

And for that matter, why stop at the Sega Genesis? If this seal of quality means anything at all, then it should also cover the Genesis add-ons, like the Sega CD and the Sega 32X. You're not going to tell me that all of the Sega CD games lived up to the quality Sega was looking for are you? The Sega CD was the system that brought Digital Pictures into the spotlight, and it's not like they had a great track record of solid full-motion video games. And did those Make Your Own Music Video games turn out exactly like they were supposed to? Even the 32X Sonic game, Knuckles Chaotix, was a flaming piece of garbage. As far as I'm concerned, the whole idea of a seal of quality is pointless, and of all the companies out there, Sega is the last that should base an ad campaign around consistency.

FROM: Daisy Does Bad Advertising