Battleworthy Brews: Bottoms up, Game of Thrones fans

Merchandising is no longer just for children’s lunch boxes or tweens’ lip gloss. That’s right, the highly popular medieval fantasy television series, Game of Thrones, can now be found in the aisles of your grocery store…the beer aisle, that is.

New York-based Brewery Ommegang has teamed up with Game of Thrones to create a line of special brews including: Iron Throne, Take the Black Stout and Fire and Blood. For those of you living under a rock and not familiar with Game of Thrones, each brew gets its name from an aspect of the show, featuring illustrations on the labels.

This is just another way manufacturers are enriching the brand experience for consumers. Brands are expanding into these new areas and expect consumers to follow them either out of trust or fandom.

In fact, Mintel’s Beer – US 2013 report found that the majority of consumers (55%) say they like trying new alcoholic drinks. Consumers aged 22-34 were the most likely to say this (72%), suggesting that new beer product launches would do well to target younger drinkers.

We’ve seen other beer brands aim to expand what they do for consumers too, like Heineken creating an entertaining web series and developing a party-boosting scent releaser for DJs. Brands across all categories are blurring the lines of where brands belong, moving into new industries, teaming up with each other, and ultimately, expanding their product offerings.

Brands should consider where their target consumers are spending their time, what they’re doing, and with what other brands they frequently engage. With these insights in mind, businesses can make a guided decision about where to expand their offerings, potentially teaming up with other favored brands.