There seems to be one thing on literally everybody’s minds right now.
And that is the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones.
Our team at Taktical is no exception.
We, too, have our GoT bracket and our infinite Slack threads for sharing theories, predictions, and related (very important) articles – like this one about dogs in GoT costumes.
So, with everyone – and we mean everyone – enraptured in the show, it’s no surprise advertisers are capitalizing on the obsession.
As the most-licensed program in HBO’s history (over 100 licenses worldwide), commercial opportunities are plentiful.
Let’s take a look at the top three brands vying for their own Iron Throne with Game of Thrones promotions.
1. Mountain Dew’s “A Can Has No Name” Social Media Ad Campaign
PepsiCo’s partnership with the HBO show launched an ad campaign across social media.
The soda brand created a teaser video with NBA star Joel Embiid.
They also ran a sweepstakes where the winner received one of the limited-edition cans.
Using the hashtags #ACanHasNoName, #ForTheThrone and #MTNDEWsweepstakes, people entered what they would sacrifice #ForTheThrone.
So what’s so special about these Game of Thrones promotional cans?
Well, they’re printed with thermodynamic ink that when chilled, reveals Arya Stark’s kill list.
Like their blank cans, Mountain Dew also removed its branding from all social media channels.
Results from the campaign included over 1.5 million views on Twitter within hours for the teaser with Embiid.
Additionally, hundreds of fans entered the sweepstakes also in just a few hours after launch.
By using hashtags in their Twitter ads, Mountain Dew expanded their reach and boosted their visibility on the platform.
Plus, their approach to experiential marketing combining on- and off-platform advertising sets an excellent example for other brands to follow.
2. Oreo Limited Edition Game of Thrones Cookies
Less than a week before the season premiere, Oreo debuted their limited-edition GoT-themed cookies.
Each package contained cookies embossed with four different designs: House Lannister, House Targaryen, and House Stark, and the Night King/White Walkers.
On social media, the cookie company launched both a video teaser and ads that highlighted their product with relevant hashtags.
They both created their own (#GameOfCookies) and used the show’s (#ForTheThrone) to achieve maximum visibility while remaining true to the brand.
Like Mountain Dew, they tied their campaign to a contest to encourage greater engagement.
Customers could post to Facebook or Twitter with the hashtags for a chance to win free merchandise.
3. Red Cross “Bleed for the Throne” Game of Thrones Promotion
In honor of all the glorious blood spilt throughout the GoT series, it seems only natural for Red Cross to get in on the action with their own Game of Thrones campaign.
When patients donated blood through the Red Cross in the month of April, they were automatically entered to win a life-size Iron Throne.
Plus, they received a commemorative Bleed for the Throne poster.
In literally bleeding #ForTheThrone, Red Cross tied their cause to the popular show and thereby encouraged donations.
This Game of Thrones promotion also demonstrated how some out-of-the-box thinking can lead to a successful marketing campaign for any organization, regardless of the industry.
You wouldn’t normally think of the Red Cross and GoT as a natural partnership.
However, their innovative campaign defied expectations by not only generating huge buzz, but also leading to more donations for a worthy cause.
Winter is Coming for You, Too
Yes, these three examples of Game of Thrones promotions are entertaining.
More importantly, though, they can inspire your own business decisions.
Through experiential marketing, creative thinking, and following social media advertising best practices, these companies generated amazing results.
It doesn’t take a partnership with an HBO show to achieve similar success.
Get inspired by the above and apply similar concepts to your own strategy.
In the meantime, we’ll be over here voting on who had the shadiest lines from this week’s episode and sending more cute animals in GoT costumes.
