{
  "id": 8230107,
  "title": "Strauss Zelnick stresses a well-known franchise like GTA still needs marketing: \"You always have to go out and create enthusiasm\"",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/strauss-zelnick-stresses-a-well-known-franchise-like-gta-still-needs",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-18T10:22:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "GamesIndustry",
    "slug": "gamesindustry",
    "url": "https://www.gamesindustry.biz/strauss-zelnick-stresses-a-well-known-franchise-like-gta-still-needs-marketing-you-always-have-to-go-out-and-create-enthusiasm"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Take-Two Interactive president Strauss Zelnick argued that even a renowned franchise like Grand Theft Auto 6 requires marketing efforts. He emphasized that maintaining awareness of established brands is crucial. Zelnick stated that when launching broad-based entertainment properties, creating enthusiasm is essential as awareness alone is not enough. Awareness and enthusiasm are two different aspects; one provides information, while the other generates excitement. He explained that in linear entertainment, the experience is passive, requiring no installation or expertise, and may not appeal to everyone. However, he stressed that marketing cannot manipulate people into believing something bad is good, as doing so would harm the brand's reputation. Instead, marketing should expose people to the product, making them aware and encouraging them to try it. Zelnick drew a comparison between GTA 6's marketing and that of another well-known franchise, Barbie, pointing out that both received extensive marketing regardless of their familiarity to the audience. He highlighted that Take-Two and Rockstar are currently using a significant marketing campaign that aligns with contemporary audience preferences. So far, their efforts have included a soundtrack album, a Dazed cover story, and an exclusive 27-minute Netflix preview, which garnered 31.1 million views in four days. Zelnick praised Rockstar's marketing for being innovative, mentioning that their 27-minute preview served as a tutorial while entertaining viewers. He believed this approach was impressive, as it provided information engagingly. Zelnick concluded that the ultimate objective is to create a cycle where awareness is transformed into excitement, and lack of awareness is converted into awareness.",
  "summary": "Some may argue Grand Theft Auto 6 does not require a marketing campaign, but Take-Two Interactive president Strauss Zelnick emphasised that established brands need to maintain awareness. Read more",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}