A Bunch of Morons Swam in Mashed Potatoes to Win a Dying Console

In an all-too-Flint-Tropics-like promotion of a floundering product, a few sad souls waded in processed vegetable mush to win a pile of Sega Dreamcast gear. It should be noted that the system had been discontinued and put on clearance for $50 around the same time period.

According to the final issue of Official Dreamcast Magazine, published in March 2001, the console manufacturer hosted an event dubbed “Sega Spud Drive 2K”  in Hollywood which allegedly “shatter[ed] the line between product promotion and performance art.”

Either the staff of the magazine were completely delusional or painfully aware of their fates and decided to make a mockery of the whole thing. The competition involved searching for the letters of “SEGA,” which were scattered about in the giant vat of creamed tubers.

In topical fashion, the event was also the stage to a spud-wrestling match between “George W. Bush” and “Al Gore” (pictured above), which predictably ended in a draw.

HILARIOUS.

I half suspect that this was all a massive practical joke by some drunk and disenchanted promotions coordinator at Sega’s American offices. Think about it: Forcing ignorant jackasses to swim in mashed potatoes in order to win a dead console and guaranteed “free games for life.”

Gee, what a prize.

To be fair, the overall winner also received a cool thousand bucks in cash, which was probably all that was left from the company’s bankroll after the 2,000 gallons of tots were purchased.

So, congratulations to Levi Buchanan, the gullible idiot who made an ass out of himself to win discontinued electronics.

Who am I kidding? I would have done the exact same thing. Cheers to you, sir.

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