GTA IV ads go guerilla in New York City
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With its April 29 debut only three agonizing months away, it's time for Take-Two and Rockstar to up their marketing for Grand Theft Auto IV. Citizens of New York City may stumble across wanted posters (pictured above at Lorimer and Grand in Brooklyn) asking for tips in capturing Niko Bellic (GTA IVs protagonist). If you've seen the guy -- or just want a special jpeg from Rockstar -- send an email to tips[at]libertycitypolice[dawt]com. If anyone stumbles across or can scan a cleaner image of the viral ad we'll be sure to post it.
Reader Comments (43)
Posted: Jan 31st 2008 3:36PM (Unverified) said
I hope they don't put those up in Phoenix, cause he looks kind of looks like me. Or me like him...
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Posted: Jan 31st 2008 4:10PM SheppyReturns said
Posted: Jan 31st 2008 3:38PM (Unverified) said
What the heck? Hopefully he doesn't talk like me.
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Posted: Jan 31st 2008 3:45PM foxhound said
See, publishers? It's possible to do viral/guerilla marketing without spray painting, farm animal slaughtering, or even LED 2-bit characters flipping the bird being mistaken for bombs.
...though all of the above was just as cool and/or funny. LoL. I wouldn't mind getting a copy of that wanted poster.
Reply
...though all of the above was just as cool and/or funny. LoL. I wouldn't mind getting a copy of that wanted poster.
Posted: Jan 31st 2008 3:44PM (Unverified) said
Don't expect to see these in Boston. They'll have to call out the bomb squad and claim it was a terroristic threat.
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Posted: Jan 31st 2008 3:47PM ChiTownRuler23 said
i want one of these for my GTA collection, sum one start selling these on ebay please
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Posted: Jan 31st 2008 9:16PM (Unverified) said
Man. I forgot about that whole thing. I remember thinking how badass that was when it was first talked about.
Now that you mentioned it, I want it again. Put it right next to my Blade Runner briefcase ;)
Reply
Now that you mentioned it, I want it again. Put it right next to my Blade Runner briefcase ;)
Posted: Jan 31st 2008 4:03PM (Unverified) said
I got $20 that says someone see's that shit and calls the cops because they saw someone who looked like him.. then we'll hear about all this on hte news and how video games are going too far...
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Posted: Jan 31st 2008 4:09PM (Unverified) said
Yea i saw one of these today, didn't get a chance to see it in detail but looked pretty cool. Rockstar always puts up little virals like this around the city, not to mention their stickers can be found all over the place.
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Posted: Jan 31st 2008 4:12PM DeadPlasmaCell said
@ JSN
I'm thinkin the same. Because there's always one.
Reply
I'm thinkin the same. Because there's always one.
Posted: Jan 31st 2008 4:14PM SheppyReturns said
My favorite Viral Marketing incident is simple. This is one nobody caught onto. Sony Ericsson sent about 200 ethnic/tourist looking couples into major cities with a new camera phone and asked random people to take pictures of the couple with the phone. Virals would then show them how to use the phone for pictures and all the neat gadgets. Hardly anyone was the wiser.
As for the graffiti virals, let's put it this way. They paid for the wall space from the building owners. It was the city that rose a ruckus.
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As for the graffiti virals, let's put it this way. They paid for the wall space from the building owners. It was the city that rose a ruckus.
Posted: Jan 31st 2008 4:21PM baby sea tuna said
Ha, Lorimar and Grand...that's right by one of my friend's buildings.
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Posted: Jan 31st 2008 4:26PM (Unverified) said
teh awsomeness has started!
Cant wait for this game. Boy I love to be a gamer in this next-gen.
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Cant wait for this game. Boy I love to be a gamer in this next-gen.
Posted: Jan 31st 2008 4:33PM (Unverified) said
Reminds me of a picture we kept hanging up on our buddy's door that our schol paper had for some rapist.. looked just like the guy.
Anyway, the worst thing for Rockstar is that these will be torn down all over the place.. for people's collections. I know I'd take one.
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Anyway, the worst thing for Rockstar is that these will be torn down all over the place.. for people's collections. I know I'd take one.
Posted: Jan 31st 2008 4:36PM Street Corner Flasher said
Good god is this a bad idea. New York police and officials already don't like how GTA IV is based off the city, but this is just something that'll feed into their paranoia.
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Posted: Jan 31st 2008 4:44PM (Unverified) said
"I fought the law,and the law won" , "I fought the law,and the law won"
That poster looks good too bad I'm not even remotly interested in GTA.
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That poster looks good too bad I'm not even remotly interested in GTA.
Posted: Jan 31st 2008 4:51PM (Unverified) said
Oh that is just too cool. They better not consider doing this in Boston, however...
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Posted: Jan 31st 2008 5:56PM Malfoy Roark said
I definitely wouldn't mind one of these posters. been waiting for this game for a long time. VC and SA left a bad taste in my mouth. :(
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Posted: Jan 31st 2008 6:22PM edoglost said
Here is a link to a picture of the response email.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b334/picstearns/GTA4.jpg
Reply
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b334/picstearns/GTA4.jpg
Posted: Sep 10th 2008 1:32AM robjennings said
People are getting confused. This is not viral marketing. Viral marketing is self-propagating. Like a link to an online video that people send to their friends, and then their friends send it to more people. It doesn't matter if it's obvious which company or product sponsored the video, it's still viral.
And this is not guerilla marketing either. Putting up posters is like the oldest form of advertising in the world and hardly counts as guerilla. Guerilla marketing would be hiring the commenter in this thread who claims to look like the character and have him run around New York pretending to steal cars while wearing a Grand Theft Auto IV t-shirt.
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And this is not guerilla marketing either. Putting up posters is like the oldest form of advertising in the world and hardly counts as guerilla. Guerilla marketing would be hiring the commenter in this thread who claims to look like the character and have him run around New York pretending to steal cars while wearing a Grand Theft Auto IV t-shirt.
Posted: Feb 1st 2008 3:57AM (Unverified) said
Has anyone else noticed the possibly-symbolic use of April 29th? Anyone remember Rodney King? LA riots? 'Race riots'? I'm English and I noticed this - come on my American brothers, History is fun:D
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Posted: Feb 1st 2008 6:36PM (Unverified) said
Better images of all three posters can be found here:
www.gtagames.nl
Reply
www.gtagames.nl
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