Aap! - Alternative Advertising Possibilities

GTA IV, “the new open-world, action-driving video game released today around the world will easily “top last year’s record-breaking $300 million first-week sales of Microsoft and Bungee Studios’ first-person shooter “Halo 3″ — and all without a similar marketing bonanza or budget. 

According to the AP report - ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Promo Campaign Kept Quiet’  Rockstar has been trying to keep their marketing message on the “downlow.”

We’ve been truly impressed in Rockstar’s ability to communicate and build hype directly with gamers through viral internet teasers and low cost non traditional out of home media including amazing phony wanted billboards, graffiti, and viral websites. (Even Bagel Bags, Coffee Cups…)

Some of the ficitional wanted adverts have included in them an e-mail address where residents of “liberty city” (the game’s fictional universe) can send in “tips” to LibertyCityPolice.com, a website which undoubtedly will be accessible inside the game’s internet function.

From a marketing perspective all this has been absolutely brilliant. From a CFO’s perspective the campaigns have demonstrated the value of low cost non traditional media and most importantly from a gamer’s perspective they have even been critical in building trust, interest and a direct relationship with players.   Seen in certain European and US cities, while we love the work we are just a little curious to see if these posters raised any objections.

Of course knowing Rockstar this was probably the intent…

GTA IV out today. Instead of enjoying the marketing - go play the game…

Review of GTA IV @ IGN 

Other Related Articles of Interest 

GTAIV ads pulled because of San Andreas flap Chicago - Transit Authority gave up a contract potentially worth more than $200,000 in revenue because people complained about another ad campaign more than three years ago.

We’re big fans of Banksy, his art/graffiti/social brand master, and while we’re not sure we agree with the above statement - advertisers, artists and more are drawing riles of debate on the statement through the internet.

Is “Advertising the greatest art form of the 20th century.” ??? as Marshall McLuhan prophesed?

We think John Jay over at Honeyee sums up how most “creatives” in advertising feel about the dynamic between art and advertising….

“While what I do may not be art, it is just as rewarding and challenging. It too is about creativity for a changing world” - John Jay - Creative Director @ WK.

Besides discussions of the world economy, technologists, advertising agencies, and marketers were also present at last week’s World Economic Forum looking to discuss coming year of advertising trends.  One question on everyone’s mind is whether social networks, video games and mobile phones are going to become more and more mainstream.

However, Sony’s chief executive Howard Stringer had other opinions in mind. Despite the forum’s positive take on in-game advertisement, he expressed his doubts on the marketing trend’s effectiveness in the medium. Taken from an article in the Financial Times, Stringer was quoted to have said:

“The [supposed] solution to everything at the moment in the digital space is ad supported. While advertisers are happy to talk that up, there is a limit to the amount of money available.”

Similar sentiments were voiced out by NBC Universal chief executive Jeff Zucker in the field of mobile advertising. Activision Blizzard chief executive Bobby Kotick also echoed Stringer’s sentiments about advertising-funded video games.

However, new forms of advertising were being explored as well. Advertisers were hoping to engage consumers into more interactive models, who are slowly drifting away from the usual radio, print, and television ads.

Researchers proved that many consumers found that advertising in mobile, video games, and social networking to be rather “intrusive”, although many were still willing to put up with it in exchange for free content. While this is especially true with the younger consumers, many business models are already adjusting to growing trend.

Via [FT.com]

Aap!Global is presenting @ Pecha Kucha - San Francisco August 29th on the topic of Legal Graffiti and New Media!

Come meet with us and others to talk about design, art, entrepreneurship and innovation.

New to Pecha Kucha?

Pecha Kucha (pronounced peh-chak-cha) was started in Tokyo, Japan in 2003 by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham Architecture, as a way to attract people to SuperDeluxe, an event space they had set up in Roppongi.

A Pecha Kucha night is an event format in which presenters show a slideshow of 20 images, each of which is shown for 20 seconds — giving a total presentation time of 6 minutes 40 seconds. Each event usually has 14 presenters. Presenters (and much of the audience) are usually from the design, architecture, photography, art and creative fields.

The event format has been replicated in 42 other cities, including New York, London, Mexico City and Shanghai. Events are usually limited to one each month per city.

More info @ http://www.pecha-kucha.org/

We welcome continued coverage on the Sao Paulo Billboard Ban and the effect it has on out of home media. The balanced video covers the topic from multiple angles.

“São Paulo’s conservative Mayor, Gilberto Kassab, put into effect the “Clean City Law” this month, outlawing nearly all forms of outdoor advertising. Interviews with lead singer of Brazilian band, Nação Zumbi, Mayor Kassab, city officials, and advertising industry.”

Read more Winners and Losers in the Sao Paulo Billboard Ban

Aap!Global is pleased to congratulate Chris Seta - Director of Operations on the birth of his newborn - Noah.

Noah Seta was born on Tuesday at 6:14am @ 6 lbs. 8 oz and is quite a little champ coming pre-branded as a SETA.

While we’re obviously joking on branding the new born - What is scary is that a couple in Manitoba in 2005 actually successfully sold advertising on their newborn but after a negative backlash from the Canadian public decided against it.

Read the release and news on the ‘branded baby’ after the break…

Read the rest of this entry »

We specialize in placing messaging on alternative mediums. While most individuals we interview on our installations of alternative advertising technologies smile, laugh and enjoy the message and medium - 1 of every 50 or so does not. The naysayers, the critics as we call them, usually start off with rants on the invasiveness of advertising, on the corporate world, on the evils of big business. We listen, we try to communicate and we set up a forum of conversation and learning. We like hearing critics - we like having individuals interact with our media. While we’re against outright vandalism of others property and expression - we enjoy some of the more vocal and thought provoking “anti-advertising” experiments.
Seeing ourselves as a group of hackers and tinkers - today we bring you two of the best of the online Anti-Advertising Establishment.

For those more interested in urban reaction and communication we recommend Graffiti Research Lab - an online directory powering urban communicators with open source technologies.

Our favorite featured by G.R.L include Theodore Watson’s, absolutely awesome L.A.S.E.R (laser projection) system. Watch the clip or download the open source code to make this work.

For those more academic and theoretical in their rejection of all advertising related we recommend the drier but equally interesting blog The Anti-Advertising Agency - who as they describe

“through constructive parody and gentle humor our Agency’s campaigns will ask passers by to critically consider the role and strategies of today’s marketing media as well as alternatives for the public arena. Our work will de-normalize “out-of-home�? advertising and increase awareness of the public’s power to contribute to a more democratically-based outdoor environment.”

Great posts and some fun projects including Portable Sound Units and Anti-Ad Stickers

As for Aap!Global’s take on these and other anti-advertising projects around the world - its almost ironic - but in many ways there is a strong underliant of converation between the two - many of the same creative talents are used in both - forms of designs, communication, technology and the concept of ownership of space are explored and implemented by both the media owners and the anti-advertising establishment. Its funny but most of these project leaders would problably make great ad-execs and agency types.