Name of game: Grand Theft Auto V
Release date: 17th September 2013
Institutions behind the game (game studio/publisher): Rockstar Games, Take-Two
Interactive
Gaming platforms it is available on (e.g. PS4, PC, Wii etc.): PS3 and XBOX 360
- What print adverts were used to advertise the game? Find examples and post them on your blog.
Billboards
- What key conventions of print adverts can you find on the example you have chosen? Product name? Font? Slogan? Central image? Colour?
The product name 'GTA V' is the fifth instalment to the GTA series.
The font is significant as it's generally recognised as the standard font for the GTA brand - it's bold and eye catching.
The central images are the characters involved the game, the one on the left has a gun gesture and the one on the right has a man holding cash - these elements are significant as they display what the games involves (violence, money, weapons etc.)
- Find three reviews for your game that were originally published in videogame magazines. Are they positive or negative about the game? Copy and paste one quote from each review.
- Did your game feature on any videogame magazine front covers? Find examples and explain why a front cover feature is so successful in promoting a game to its target audience.
The front cover is successful due to the colour scheme - the green and black go well together to symbolise money (wealth in particular).
The font is the traditional one GTA use - this makes the game appeal to fans.
Broadcast
- Did your chosen game use a TV advert to promote the game? Embed it from YouTube if it did and explain how it fits the key conventions of a TV advert.
The tv ad displays the release date, game-play footage, suspenseful background music (to give an urban feel) and the title is shown at the end.
- Is there a game trailer on YouTube? Embed it on your blog and explain why it is effective in promoting the game to its target audience.
The game trailer is effective as it displays game-play footage, this creates buzz through word-of-mouth. Therefore, people maintain an interest and become willing to buy the game.
- Can you find any other broadcast features on the game - interviews, launch party events, video reviews, clips of the gameplay on YouTube etc. Write about how they effectively promote the game to its target audience.
Interview with GTA V: Michael, Franklin and Trevor who helped their characters come to life in the game.
Game-play footage, this is effective as it helps the audience complete missions quicker and help them identify new techniques.
E-media
- Visit your chosen game's official website. How does it attract and maintain the interest of its target audience?
It has loads of sections for things like: music, news and videos of official game-play footage.
- Are there any creative or interesting aspects to the game's official website?
The colour scheme is attractive as it uses a variety of bright colours.
The font used is the traditional GTA brand font - this appeals to the audience as they can recognise it easier.
- Does the game have a YouTube channel?
Yes, Rockstar games.
- Can you find any examples of user-generated content on YouTube that players have created and uploaded from the game? Embed any examples on your blog.
- How does user-generated content such as gameplay videos help to promote the game?
As younger users contributions are likely to be popular, user-generated content makes the game come across as more trustworthy, so the game is promoted through word-of-mouth.
- How many 'likes' has your chosen game's Facebook wall had?
1.9 million
- Choose five of the posts on the Facebook page's wall, screengrab them and explain how they appeal to the game's target audience.
These types of post keeps the audience entertained, therefore they maintain an interest.
This post promotes game-play footage, this is essential as the audience maintain a constant interest due to the fact that they develop new skills.
Also, these types of posts create discussion about the game and promotes it furthermore.
- What is your chosen game's Twitter hashtag?
#GTAV
- How did the campaign use Twitter to promote the game?
Twitter promotes the game mainly due to the hashtag method - #hashtags can be seen worldwide be anyone who has a twitter account. When the GTA V hashtags were trending, people on twitter could access this and were aware about Rockstar officially launched a fifth instalment in the GTA series.
Also, the official GTA V twitter page keeps followers updated on new things available in the game.
- Can you find any other creative uses of e-media to promote the game? This might include hashtags, competitions, Instagram, user-generated campaigns or anything else that is designed to draw attention to the game.
Pre- and post-release
- What was the game's release date?
17th September 2013
- What is the earliest reference you can find to the game before the release date?
Rockstar collaborated with several retail outlets to provide special edition versions of the game. The "Special Edition", for example, includes a unique case packaging for the game, a game map and unlock codes for additional content for use in the single-player and multiplayer modes of the game.The publisher also collaborated with Sony to release a 500 GB PlayStation 3 console which includes a copy of the game and a 30-day trial membership for the PlayStation Plus service, as well as set of Grand Theft Auto V branded headphones. All pre-orders of the game grant the purchaser with an access code for the in-game aircraft, Atomic Blimp.
- Was it announced at a gaming conference (such as E3)? How did the publisher get a potential audience excited about the forthcoming game?
The publisher officially released images from action inside of the game.
- How did the institution promote the game after it was released?
On amazon, GTA V had a banner across the front page.
Rockstar paid Twitter and Facebook to promote the game on everyone's TL(timeline)
- Does the game have any way of making the publisher additional income post-release (such as in-game purchases)?
Yes, you can buy advanced weapons with real money inside the game.
Other
- Who do you think is the target audience for this game? Make up a potential target audience demographic and explain why you think it fits the game.
Male to female, 75:25 ratio
Aged 18 - 34
ABC1 demographic
The game is targeted mainly for people who live in cities and are immune to previous action-adventure games. The game focuses on gang crime, so people who live in cities are more likely to have some understanding or experience.
- What psychographic groups would be attracted to this game?
Mainstreamers: seek security
Aspirers: seek status
Explorers: seek discovery
Strugglers: seek escape
- What else can you find from the marketing and promotion of your chosen game?
Video trailers and press demos released.
To reveal the game's cover art, Rockstar contracted artists to paint a mural on a wall in Manhattan, New York on 31 March 2013,
- A launch event? Stories appearing in newspapers? Celebrity endorsement? Scandal or controversy?
Celebrity endorsement -
celebrities (such as Tyga and The Game) had their tracks within the game-play
Launch event -
Released some shots of action from the game
Controversy -
Depiction of torture
Accusations of sexism - some reviewers concluded that the game's depiction of women is misogynistic
- How does the campaign make an emotional connection with the audience? What is the audience appeal of the advertising campaign?
The use of game-play footage released by social media sites (mainly YouTube- Rockstar) is essential as people begin to become attracted to the escapism it brings by being in the shoes of another character.
Advertising (TV, billboards, print etc.) is essential as they help people to build relationships with the characters involved. Also, Editorial (magazine reviews etc.) are useful as it helps someone to decide whether or not they can relate to the game and the theme which comes along with it.
- Can you find any images of how the game was promoted in-store - displays, point-of-sale promotions, window displays etc.?
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