The epic Game of Thrones is returning to TV screens in a couple of weeks.
I personally am very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very excited to see the final season of this awesome HBO series from the brain of George R.R. Martin.
As with any major pop-culture moment the brand tie-ins start rolling in. In no particular order here's a selection of my favourites that I've seen in the run up to the launch of season 8 (sorry some didn't make my personal nerd grading system).
OREO
A whole continent full of towns and cities made out of Oreos what's not to love? This is like a modern version of Hansel and Gretel created to promote limited edition Game of Thones packaging that will be available, probably only in the US but it looks great.
MLB
Ok maybe Oreo didn't have such a unique idea as Major League Baseball have created something similar. Replacing Westeros are the major stadiums of North America. It still looks cool.
MOUNTAIN DEW
Mountain Dew apparently borrowed this idea from Coors. When warm, the new Game of Thrones–themed can will be plain white. Then when chilled the names from Arya Stark’s kill list appear, with a number of them crossed out. The cans are not available in shops, fans have to enter a competition for the chance to win one, so you can expect to see them popping up on eBay for a chunk of money before to long.
SPOTIFY
Spotify have collaborated with Game of Thrones co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss on a playlist called “Game of Thrones: The End Is Coming.” Designed to match the emotional experience of watching the show, Apparently according to Benioff and Weiss, the playlist conceals a message about how the series ends: “The answer to the ending is one hundred percent hidden in the playlist choices,” Probably a publicity stunt but it'll certainly get people checking it out.
BUDWEISER
This ad was created for the Superbowl between LA Rams and New England Patriots. It doesn't offer anything new and exciting, but it looks great.
Bud Light produced a run on version with the vanquished knight returning to life, in a similar way to a certain member of the Night's Watch.
MONOPOLY
Ok, this one has been out for a while, but it's had a bit of a revamp and who doesn't like the arguments caused by this game. The King or Queen of Monopoly is almost as challenging to achieve as the Iron Throne.
NOW TV
This is a bit more hardcore. Streaming service Now TV has launched a pop-up tattoo shop. They'll ink fans for free with one of sixteen ready-made designs, including images of a needle and of a tombstone that reads “hold the door.” Now that's a souvenir you'll never be able to forget.
I assume that the free tattoos won't mean you have to be branded with the Now TV logo as well.
OK CUPID
Dating service OKCupid is helping match daters based on whether or not they’re into Game of Thrones or not.
Users who state that they watch the show will receive a new special badge on their profile to attract dates.
OKCupid is predicting 20% more profile likes and 15% more conversations for those with the badge. Who knew that love could blossom over dragons and death?
DIAGEO
Diageo have released a limited-edition collection of whiskies.
There are eight scotches each aligned to one of the famous Houses from the series as well as the black one shown representing the Night's Watch.
HBO previously worked with Diageo to create White Walker by Johnnie Walker, inspired by Game of Thrones' the Night King and his crew.
Cheers!
ALDI
Have followed on from their Christmas campaign of mocking Coca-Cola by creating this little piece of humour in the style of the series to raise a smile and hopefully sell a hell of a lot of toilet paper.
THE BELLAGIO
This one isn't a tie-in, it's an advert for the show directly from HBO, but it looks awesome.
If you're not aware of the fountains in front of the Bellagio in Las Vegas, they put on a multiple performances every evening as they dance to tunes, most notably seen in the movie Oceans Eleven. This takeover of the fountains to promote the eight season of the show looks awesome and sends shivers up the spine for any fan of the show as it reaches it's climax.
I'll try to keep this blog up dated as I spot new activity before the return of the show.