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title: "Hijacking a hashtag: 16 brands playing Game of Thrones on Twitter"
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# Hijacking a hashtag: 16 brands playing Game of Thrones on Twitter

 April 09, 2014

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Just when you thought spring is here, everyone says **‘winter is coming’.**

As you may know, **#gameofthronesseason4** started with much fanfare on April 6. With 6.6 million [HBO viewers](http://time.com/52946/game-of-thrones-record-viewership/), and many millions of devoted social media-active #GoT fans, this massive premiere event offered brands the opportunity to exploit the **cultural zeitgeist**, sorry, ‘join the conversation’ through it's associated hashtags.

To hijack any trending event, brands should employ the same social media strategy for be it the Superbowl or the Oscars: if you’re going to post something, come up with something **fun**, **engaging** and (at least vaguely) **relevant** and preferably, create some content. Otherwise, irrelevant and desperate attempts at using a trending hashtag could be damaging to the brand reputation and ultimately lead to unfollows.

For Game of Thrones, there were plenty of hashtag hijack #Fails and #Wins to be seen all over Twitter. Here‘s our list of the best brands that tried to **(successfully and unsuccessfully)** hijack a Game of Thrones hashtag. Keep these in mind next time you decide on hijacking a hashtag.

Few brands have a **legitimate claim** to use a GoT hashtag. Well played by Tourism Ireland, if blood and guts doesn’t attract them, what will? They’re onto something though, just look at what The Lord of the Rings did for New Zealand’s tourism.

> The north of Ireland remembers [#redwedding](https://twitter.com/hashtag/redwedding?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#GameOfThrones](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GameOfThrones?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [http://t.co/JenvKdtHck](http://t.co/JenvKdtHck) [pic.twitter.com/IYLRbM4kfH](http://t.co/IYLRbM4kfH)
> 
> — Tourism Ireland (@GoToIrelandCA) [April 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/GoToIrelandCA/status/453072240058171392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

Respected sources of cultural commentary are allowed to join in, I suppose.

> Game of Thrones recap: Slicing and dicing through the first episode of season four [http://t.co/8GdE48LYuT](http://t.co/8GdE48LYuT)
> 
> — The New York Times (@nytimes) [April 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/453007771714478081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

Brands in the **relevant field** have an argument for joining in, especially as their customers are fantasy fans.

> Good morning. How many of you are late for work coz you were watching GOT at 2:00am? [http://t.co/1hE0LSfms4](http://t.co/1hE0LSfms4) [pic.twitter.com/3DqVBq40i0](http://t.co/3DqVBq40i0)
> 
> — Forbidden Planet (@ForbiddenPlanet) [April 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/ForbiddenPlanet/status/453082169364078592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

If your store sells the GoT books, it would be a mistake to pass up the opportunity for promotion. Several brands put in creative effort, creating special products, making amusing little stunts to tie-in. This works:

> Done! RT [@DistinguishedSp](https://twitter.com/DistinguishedSp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw): revisit [#GoT](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) marathon-style, enjoy this creation featuring [@CampariAmerica](https://twitter.com/CampariAmerica?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [http://t.co/OzeUFpOmnL](http://t.co/OzeUFpOmnL)
> 
> — Campari America (@CampariAmerica) [April 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/CampariAmerica/status/453216585038053376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

As does this:

> Mother of Donuts. [#GoT](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/YpjTX5wLC9](http://t.co/YpjTX5wLC9)
> 
> — Tim Hortons (@TimHortons) [April 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/TimHortons/status/452974620325707779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

This is how to do it:

> Welcome back, [@GameofThrones](https://twitter.com/GameOfThrones?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw). May the best House win. [#FU](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/khW0Hg3MXK](http://t.co/khW0Hg3MXK)
> 
> — House of Cards (@HouseofCards) [April 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/HouseofCards/status/452972807584886784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

Although this is pretty poor:

> House Rita unite. [#GOT](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/s9gI4E9zfy](http://t.co/s9gI4E9zfy)
> 
> — The RITAS (@TheRITAS) [April 6, 2014](https://twitter.com/TheRITAS/status/452887433768480769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

At least make the effort to hijack the hashtag. Some can actually be amusing (if blindingly unoriginal)

> Winter is coming. Also, so is your pizza in 30-45 minutes. [#GOT](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> 
> — Eat24 (@Eat24) [April 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/Eat24/status/452999273609973760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Localised heavy rain may lead to flash flooding in parts of the Southern Highlands tonight & tomorrow [http://t.co/d0imXJtNNZ](http://t.co/d0imXJtNNZ) [#WinterIsComing](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinterIsComing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> 
> — SouthernHighlandNews (@Sthn\_Hland\_News) [April 3, 2014](https://twitter.com/Sthn_Hland_News/status/451599721325277185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

Simply posting a GoT pic doesn't cut it, although it is a great picture Daenerys Targaryen looks amazing.

> Retweet If you will be watching [@GameOfThrones](https://twitter.com/GameOfThrones?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Tonight! [#TakeTheThrone](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeTheThrone?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/Vl2iZ0uMtP](http://t.co/Vl2iZ0uMtP)
> 
> — Spread Love and Kindness 🙏 (@FashionweekNYC) [April 6, 2014](https://twitter.com/FashionweekNYC/status/452948301873020928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

At the very least link your brand with the event, even if it is just the slightest bit tenuous. Do these have a link? Maybe (just)

> A royal presence demands royal hair color! Who else thinks Daenerys's bleach blonde looks touched by [#Blondor](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blondor?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)? [#GoT](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> 
> — Wella Professionals (@WellaPro) [April 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/WellaPro/status/453169442533289985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> The badass women of Game of Thrones, ranked by style: [http://t.co/ATEy4ln6a1](http://t.co/ATEy4ln6a1) [pic.twitter.com/V2usk0SHDS](http://t.co/V2usk0SHDS)
> 
> — ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) [April 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/ELLEmagazine/status/453110026853703680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

However, it can look a bit desperate when brands with little or no perceivable connection at all turn up at the party. Like, well done.

> Did Game of Thrones change anyone else's opinion of chicken? [#GoT](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> 
> — Virgin Plus (@VirginPlus) [April 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/VirginPlus/status/453162949675204609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

But, we think SKY needs to remember that working in a call centre does not equal 'the team who brought GoT to you' AT ALL.

> Who stayed up to watch [#GameOfThrones](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GameOfThrones?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)? You can be part of the team who brings [#GoT](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) to you; go to [http://t.co/NwTll0rd5R](http://t.co/NwTll0rd5R) to find out how.
> 
> — Life At Sky (@lifeatsky) [April 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/lifeatsky/status/453081671651557376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

What does our product have to with a dungeons and dragonseque fantasy full of sex and slaying? Does it matter? Although this tweet received a few digs, actually they got a few lols from the team here.

> We know how to play the game [#GoT](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#Season4](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Season4?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/gUNDK9mAF3](http://t.co/gUNDK9mAF3)
> 
> — Clorox (@Clorox) [April 6, 2014](https://twitter.com/Clorox/status/452946217169743872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

Keep an eye out... we're sure they'll be plenty more hijacking of #GoT to come!

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