THQ fights GTA fever with 'Forget Grand Theft Auto' ad campaign

Here's a neat experiment: try typing Grand Theft Auto V, GTA V, or any combination thereof into your google bar (assuming you haven't already been doing so already). See the ad to the right of your results? The one telling you to “Forget Grand Theft Auto” and go directly to Saints Row: The Third's website? That, as you've probably deduced by now, is THQ's not-so-subtle way of capitalizing on today's GTA V buzz and reminding gamers that Rockstar doesn't have the monopoly on sandbox crime games.

Surfers protected by firewalls and ad-blocking options may not see the ads, but they do exist. THQ engaged in similar guerrilla internet tactics earlier this year by attaching ads to its Saints Row sequel to other high profile video games searches such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Batman: Arkham City.

It's a sneaky move, but it's also a smart one. Nearly every gamer with an internet connection will be searching for GTA V today, and with less than two weeks to go before Saints Row: The Third launches on November 15th (November 18th in the UK), this is the perfect opportunity to use that hype to THQ's advantage. There's also the theory THQ is worried a GTA V announcement will affect Saints Row: The Third's sales, but it's doubtful gamers will hold off buying one game for another that might not even arrive until 2013. What do you think are the motives behind THQ's latest marketing strategy?

Source: PlayStation Lifestyle

Matt Bradford wrote news and features here at GamesRadar+ until 2016. Since then he's gone on to work with the Guinness World Records, acting as writer and researcher for the annual Gamer's Edition series of books, and has worked as an editor, technical writer, and voice actor. Matt is now a freelance journalist and editor, generating copy across a multitude of industries. 

Latest in Adventure
Pokemon Legends: Z-A screenshot
Pokemon Legends: Z-A will allegedly introduce 27 new Mega Evolutions, leakers claim, and we can only hope Flygon gets its chance this time
Minecraft Vibrant Visuals
16 years after Minecraft first released it's getting a modern visual upgrade with a retro lighting trick that Mojang hasn't seen "in any other game"
Minecraft movie image of Jack Black as steve
Don't expect Minecraft to go free-to-play anytime soon, as Mojang says "It doesn't really work with the way we built it"
Putting cigarettes in fish mouths in Thank Goodness You're Here
Thank Goodness You're Here's developer says it was trying to design a game normally before realizing "we're s**t at video game design"
Pokemon TCG Pocket Shiny Cards
How to get Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Pokemon Legends: Z-A screenshot
Pokemon Legends: Z-A's director appears to be a Xenoblade Chronicles fan, and I'm now feeling very validated about a tiny detail I spotted in the upcoming RPG's gameplay trailer
Latest in News
Chris Hemsworth's name on the back of a director's chair
Marvel Entertainment reveal live blog
Halloween director John Carpenter
15 years on from his last horror movie, Halloween's John Carpenter says he'd "love to direct again" – but he has one condition
Monster Hunter Wilds screenshot showing a hunter battling a congalala
If you missed the last one, the new Monster Hunter Wilds event quest is another way to stock up on rare ingredients before the big update drops next week
The cast of Suicide Squad (2016)
David Ayer admits James Gunn has good reason not to release his cut of Suicide Squad, but he remains hopeful it'll happen
Ezra Bridger in Ahsoka
A Star Wars actor just quietly confirmed that filming has begun on Ahsoka season 2
Mario
A surprise bonus Nintendo Direct is coming a week early: "There will be no updates about Nintendo Switch 2 during this presentation"