Grand Theft Auto 4’s Marketing

Rockstar’s starting point Massively successful series Internationally known brand Huge fan base and established online communities Specialist press eager to cover the game Mainstream press interest due to the series’ success Criticism from mainstream press over GTA’s content Controversy over Hot Coffee

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV, released last April, sold 6 million copies during its first week, bringing in $500 million. It cost Rockstar $100 million to produce, 1,000 people worked on the project, and it took three-and-a-half years to complete.

Challenges for Rockstar No easy hook – such as 80’s Miami or 90’s California No cultural short cuts – in terms of references or obviously related films Set in present day so no retro feel for music or look Strength of game: the realistic setting – a harder sell Managing the controversy Maintaining interest up to release Ensuring that the hype matched the final product Not giving too much information away before the release – so not to spoil it for gamers

Strategy Guerrilla and viral marketing Drip feed information to the specialist and mainstream press. Co-operative marketing with Microsoft and retail TV, press and billboard advertising Liaise with the fansites and fan community Build-up to a Hollywood blockbuster-style launch day

Specialist Press Carefully choreographed demos without any hands on time Controlling the amount that is seen and experienced and therefore could be written about Giving exclusive content to get magazine covers Controlling the reviewing environment by putting journalists up in a hotel

Making of the series in high-brow games mag Edge - on sale March 2008 – a month before GTA 4’s release April 2007 – Official PlayStation Magazine has the first UK look at GTA 4 March 2007 – world exclusive first look at GTA 4 in US games mag Game Informer

Mainstream press R* management giving interviews to broadsheets and high-end magazines – Variety, The Times Exclusive content given to men’s lifestyle press, film magazines. Details of soundtrack released to music press

GTA Announcement Rockstar and Take Two announced the release of GTA on 9 th May 2006 The release date was confirmed as 19 October st March 2007 – launch of the website with countdown to release of first trailer 29/03/07 Logo and ‘Things will be different’ trailer

‘Things will be different’ Focuses on the environment – spoof New York Introduces new Eastern European lead character Present day and very realistic The trailer uses a similar cinematic style to Godfrey Reggio's 1982 documentary film Koyaanisqatsi and used Philip Glass's original music Koyaanisqatsi

Further trailers "Looking For That Special Someone" 28/06/ "Move Up, Ladies" 06/012/ "Good Lord, What Are You Doing?" 27/03/ Up to 13 other ‘teaser trailers were release introducing places or characters

Unveiling the box art On 27 November 2007 Rockstar released the image of the box art and a video of a team of artist recreating it on a wall in warehouse.

Advertising Mural in New York

TV advertising campaign Print advertising Radio ads Billboards

Viral Marketing Wanted posters of characters from the game. On the poster the address of the Liberty City Police Department

Response from LCPD

Stickers and Graffiti

GTA 4 graffiti being painted

Spoof websites Rockstar encouraged fans to send recordings of themselves ranting about anything - which would then make it into the final game on the Talk Radio channel WKTT, Our-own-reality.com Website focusing on the celebrities from Liberty City

Limited edition Liberty City licence plate available to those who pre-ordered with Amazon.com Point of sale promotions Special Edition GTA 4 – with soundtrack, duffel bag and a safety deposit box that contains the game. To encourage consumers to pre-order GTA (place a deposit on copy of the game before its release), Rockstar ran promotions with retailers offering exclusive GTA branded products.

Use of fansites Rockstar are particularly good at engaging with their fanbase especially with GTA fansites. Throughout the build up to GTA4’s release they sent assets (screenshots, information) to the fansites and even invited the editors over to New York to play the game before its release. ( A Chihuahua Hotdogs t-shirt and Pisswasser Beer glass – both brands from the GTA universe – sent to the editor of gtagaming.com