HBO made 'Game of Thrones' fans and brands express their devotion through blood, 'death,' and other drastic moves
With #FortheThrone, HBO cemented the legacy of “Game of Thrones” in the run-up to the show’s much-anticipated finale. Droga5’s campaign saw HBO partner with other brands to pay tribute to the series: Bud Light sacrificed its Bud Knight mascot during the Super Bowl; Mountain Dew stripped all branding from its product to create “A Can With No Name;” and 300,000 fans showed they were willing to “bleed for the throne” in a blood donation tie-in with the Red Cross.
Others taking part included Shake Shack, which created a secret menu available only if ordered in Valyrian; the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, which became the Minnesota Direwolves; and Oreo, which changed the face of its cookies to House Sigils. The campaign garnered more than 6 million social media mentions and generated the equivalent of nearly $176 million in ad value. And it also paved the way for future spinoffs from the “GoT” franchise.