This week, HBO released the latest trailer for everyone’s favorite nerdfest. Game of Thrones is back for season 5 this April. Since its 2011 debut, Game of Thrones has become a cultural icon. This success could not have been possible without their brilliant marketing team.
To celebrate the release of the season 5 trailer, let’s take a look at some of the Game of Thrones team’s best marketing tactics.
Dragon Skull Found on the Jurassic Coast
One of Game of Thrones’ most memorable tactics went viral back in 2013. Taylor Herring PR placed a giant dragon skull on Dorset’s “Jurassic Coast,” which is famous for its dinosaur fossils. The stunt resulted a ton of realistic and enchanting photos while generating hype for the upcoming season.
Game of Thrones on the Big Screen
This week, HBO screened the final two episodes of season 4 in over 200 IMAX theaters across the country. The screenings were one night only, and offered fans an exclusive first look at the aforementioned season 5 trailer. HBO made $1.5 million in one night, which means we can definitely expect a repeat of the stunt in the future.
#RoastJoffery: The First Social Comedy Roast
Game of Thrones has a multitude of hateable faces, but Joffery trumps them all. To generate conversation between seasons, HBO and 360i used the hashtag #RoastJoffery to invite fans, celebrities, and even brands to 
mock the little brat. The campaign ended with over a million engagements on over 60,000 original posts from users. There were over 800,000,000 earned media impressions over the course of two days.
“Beautiful Death” – Gruesome Meets Gorgeous
Another brilliant move by HBO and 360i is the “Beautiful Death” series. Artist Robert Ball has created a work of art commemorating 
iconic deaths in each episode. The illustrated posters were released on a daily basis leading up to the season 4 premiere. The trend continued as new posters appeared for each episode of season 4. The posters were incredibly popular and are available for purchase on the “Beautiful Death” website.
With season 5 only a few months away, there’s no doubt we’ll see more creative and effective tactics from the Game of Thrones team. Personally, I have my fingers crossed for more David Bowie covers.
What do you think of these kind of marketing tactics? Worth it or a waste of time? Share your thoughts below.
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