Winter is here folks. As much as I am excited about the impending freezing days in the north beyond Winterfell, I am also amazed at the extent to which HBO has squeezed the opportunities to make more money from its immensely successful Game of Thrones series.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece on a few brands which made the most from advertising with Game of Thrones. In this post I am going to specifically cite brands which are actually gaining sales from it. And, in the process, they are proving to us that this kind of advertising bloody works!
This post is a bit personal, so, although the web is crawling with hundreds of examples of brands using Game of Thrones, I am only going to mention those that I have used, or am likely to use.
Let me just share with you my experience.
Turning me into a Walker
Like I mentioned before in my previous post, Johnnie Walker launched its limited edition “White Walker” whisky.
Now, I am not a Johnnie Walker fan. I never could develop a liking for its smokey taste. We have had a couple of parties at home where we had Blue Labels opened where we went with the flow, but its not as smooth as any of my other favorites. Somehow, it never clicked with me.
But its the Game of Thrones season. And it was just yesterday, we hosted another party for a few of our colleagues. And most of them being familiar with Game of Thrones, we thought that hosting it with the White Walker edition would really suit the occasion.
So, Voila! Johnnie Walker has found its way into my house!
Isn’t it amazing how this whole campaign worked in taking my money?
And it doesn’t stop with that. Once it entered our party, it evoked quite a bit of curiosity from all the guests. The packaging is intriguing and awe-inspiring.
Take a look at the following photos.
The packaging catches your attention straightaway. Since I already knew a bit about it throwing up some secret text when frozen, I had kept it in the freezer for a good one and half hours.
And indeed, the text appeared on the otherwise blank sides, “Winter is Here”.
The taste was again was marketed quite well. I read quite a few rave reviews about the taste and the fact that, Diageo claimed that it is best served chilled, went on to add to the curiosity. And to no surprise of mine, as all of us raised the first toast, most of us genuinely felt that the taste is nice.
We did end up finishing a couple of bottles. And probably this is not the end to it. I personally know a couple of people who have stocked up on this particular booze and a few other single malts tied up with GOT, just to have the experience of having them while watching the episodes.
What a beautiful work of art! Hats off to these guys.
Diageo has really put in some serious thought into this campaign and come up with something beautiful that will be cited as an example for the years to come.
So, is Diageo the only one? Obviously not. Lets look at the next one.
Running with GOT Adidas Editions
What do I do when I don’t do late night parties with folks I hang out with?
Well, I run (and I blog of course). So, it is only natural for me to mention Adidas.
Just like Diageo, I believe Adidas has come up with an interesting deal for its products by associating with the Game of Thrones brand.
Let me just list it out here, ‘coz they have at least 5 different types in their website for India. Just go to their site linked here and search for “Game of Thrones”.
Now, Adidas has been into some good work with its ultraboost, making shoes off recycled plastic. I had blogged about it a while ago here.
For me, this just adds another feather in the Adidas cap and makes me a bigger fan of the brand. And I am a runner, I need shoes.
Personally, I would go for the Night’s watch. I think that’s the best. Black shoes work for me.
But for those with more colorful personalities might like the Lannister shoes.
The only cause for concern with these guys is the availability of sizes. Lets assume for now that they will overcome that.
Well, anyway, coming back to the point: Game of Thrones tie ups has really helped some brands reel in the money.
I think that’s what most campaigns are about. Its a lesson for me and most of my peers on being open to opportunities and making the most of them when they come by.
Once again, kudos to these marketing guys who pulled it off.
As usual, if you have any comments or opinions, feel free to post in the comments section below.