Rockstar splashes cash on LA Noire

PublisHer Rockstar is spending big on its massive, TV-centric marketing operation for L.A. Noire.

The GTA firm says it aims to make new IP Noire the blockbuster entertainment event for 2011, and another groundbreaking and exciting release from Rockstar.”

The L.A. Noire TV campaign began this week, with spots during Champions League semi-final matches on ITV.

This precedes a four-week terrestrial and satellite push that Rockstar says will reach some five million males.

The publisher has also booked video-on-demand ads for four weeks on Sky Anytime, Box Office, 4OD and Blinkbox.

The company is already sponsoring the Sky Movies Crime and Thriller channel. This will continue into June.
However, it is not all TV. Promotional videos and targeted search will run across Google and YouTube. The latter’s homepage masthead will also be taken over for launch.

A variety of online ads will appear on Nuts, Empire, The Sun, Sky Sports, MSN, IGN GameSpot and more, with videos on entertainment networks including Fox, Heavy and Vice.

Print media isn’t being left out, either. Around launch, Rockstar has booked a wrap on Shortlist, a cover placement in the Evening Standard and insertions in The Guardian and The Times – as well as double page ads in specialist media.

Consumers won’t be able to escape L.A. Noire outdoors, either. A three week London Underground poster campaign is also planned in.

L.A. Noire is due for release on Friday, May 20th. Rockstar will hope to match its past spring hits: 2008’s GTA IV and last year’s Red Dead Redemption.