What does a social media management tool have to do with HBO’s hit show Game of Thrones? On the surface, not much, until you see the creative video that Hootsuite rolled out to coincide with the series premiere of the Sunday night show.
The video mimics the opening of Game of Thrones, which debuted its sixth season in April to a viewership of 8 million. In the series, the open serves as a map to show viewers where the storylines take place. In Hootsuite’s version, the locations are replaced with social media platforms that their signature tool helps users manage.
Whether you know the difference between The Red Woman and the Mother of Dragons or not, content marketers can appreciate this video. Here’s why:
- Connects pop culture with a product
Game of Thrones has a huge following. It’s watercooler talk in offices across the world and always seems to be trending on social media.
To combine a product or service with a piece of pop culture like Hootsuite has done not only capitalizes on the “buzz” that surrounds the show, it also shows that the company is in touch with today’s trends.
- Measurable success
The one minute and thirty second video has 965,000+ views on YouTube, with hundreds of comments. It sparked conversations on Hootsuite’s own social media pages when they shared the video.
Other marketing publications wrote about the unique video on their websites. We’re talking big name publications too. AdWeek, for example, referred to the promotional piece as a “well crafted work of art.”
What marketer wouldn’t want these kinds of results?
- Hashtag chatter
Hootsuite created a specific hashtag for the video, #GameOfSocial. A search for this hashtag brings up hundreds of posts, in several different languages, that are all talking about Hootsuite and its smart connection to a trendy TV show.
The use of the hashtag shows Hootsuite had a plan to roll out this video, and made sure they used every tool possible to promote and track the success of it.
- Smart branding
The video is well produced, and doesn’t go over the top with branding. So many times when businesses create a piece of content the need to “over brand” runs rampant. That’s not the case with this video.
There’s a simple logo in the bottom corner, the larger owl logo is reveled at the end and there’s a final graphic that ties Hootsuite and Game of Thrones together.
The graphic reads, “Unite Your Social Kingdoms,” which explains what Hootsuite does in terms that Game of Thrones’ fans appreciate.
Wrap up
Hootsuite’s Game of Thrones video shows that content should go beyond blogs and social media posts. The company took a chance, got creative and was clearly rewarded in engagement, brand awareness and free publicity. It’s a great example of out-of-the-box content marketing that chalked up a big win for the company.
