1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: Welcome to another episode of Strictly Business, the podcast where 2 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: you'll hear from some of the brightest minds media today. 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,959 Speaker 1: I'm Variety co editor in chief Andrew Wallenstein. Game of 4 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: Thrones begins its final season April fourteen, marking the end 5 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: of televisions reigning hit. Of course, HBO is hoping to 6 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: make this its buzziest season yet and expand on it's 7 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: already massive audience. And to that the network will turn 8 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 1: to our guest today, Chris Spottoccini, Executive VP and Head 9 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: of Marketing at HBO. He joined me on stage at 10 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: Variety Entertainment Marketing Summit just a few weeks ago. Horror 11 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: kicking it off right with a show I don't know. 12 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: Have a show of hands? Who has heard of this? 13 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: Game of Throw? Okay, we got a few, We got 14 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: a few now obviously huge suspense. I mean to give 15 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: you a sense of how big the appeal for the 16 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: show is. I'm going to embarrass someone in the room, 17 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,399 Speaker 1: not gonna say their name that I didn't know handed 18 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: me a note before this panel and said, Chris will 19 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: spill goot secrets. W pound him. So, I mean, we're 20 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: gonna get into it now. I hope you're ready, You're 21 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: gonna be You're gonna be out of luck because I 22 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: actually don't even really know what's going to happen. And 23 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: maybe that's me being really bad at my job, but 24 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: like I had an opportunity pretty early on in the 25 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: you know, when they were in production, to read the scripts, 26 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: and I just I don't think I trust myself. You know, 27 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: a couple of drinks at a cocktail party and I 28 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: ever know it's it's out. So I have some ideas, 29 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 1: but there will be no being spilled good to hear. 30 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: So I should also preface by saying that I'm not 31 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: a watcher of the show. I just want to be 32 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: in case you see like an eye glaze talk details 33 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: of Restauros. I don't know so, but they need an 34 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: objective journalist, so they you know, they called me in here. 35 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: The thing is, it's interesting when you're thinking about a 36 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: show this big and we're talking about marketing, the first 37 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 1: question that comes to mind is, really, what is even 38 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: the point of marketing something at this point? It's this big, 39 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 1: it's going out, isn't the audience there? Isn't it that simple? 40 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: You know, it's a it's funny you say that because 41 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: we could probably um, do absolutely nothing, uh and shatter 42 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: every ratings record in the book. You know, I think 43 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: one tweet with April fourteenth would probably probably do it. 44 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: But at the same time, we feel an enormous responsibility 45 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,239 Speaker 1: to to commemorate what's arguably one of the greatest TV 46 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: shows ever made that has you know, cemented its place 47 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 1: in popular culture. UM. Game of Thrones is. UM, it's 48 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:51,839 Speaker 1: that rare show that builds every single season that we're 49 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: up to thirty three million viewers a week UM last season. UM. 50 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: Social buzz has has climbed every every single season and UM, 51 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 1: you know, our objectives or for the show are a 52 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: lot more than about ratings. I mean, we we see 53 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: it's kind of the tide that lifts all boats. We 54 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: see massive subscriber lifts, UM, grand attributes spike not surprisingly UM, 55 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 1: and we gain cultural relevance across across the globe. And 56 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: Game of Thrones is in a you know, in a 57 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: world of on demand viewing where people are watching on 58 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: their own schedules, it really is one of the last 59 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: remaining mono cultural events where I get the feeling that 60 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: the world will be watching in real time because they 61 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: don't want to be left out. So in that respect, 62 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: it's more akin to uh, you know, a World Cup 63 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: than than just a TV show. Um. So the goal, 64 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: I guess is to celebrate its place in popular culture 65 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: as um, you know, uh one of the one of 66 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: the best shows ever made, and also as a thank 67 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: you to the fans who have devoted so much of 68 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: their their lives um to the past eight seasons. But 69 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: is the marketing also informed by the fact that as 70 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: huge as the show unquestionably is, there's been quite a 71 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: layover since we've seen episodes last is marketing went appetites 72 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: all over again? Yeah, I mean it's crazy, it's been 73 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: you know, we kind of took last year off. It's 74 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:18,119 Speaker 1: been about eighteen months since that that wall came crashing down, 75 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: and and you know, the Army the Dead is on 76 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: the march. Um. So you know, Game of Thrones isn't 77 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: always on brand, um it. The realm never sleeps, as 78 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:30,919 Speaker 1: we like to say. Um. So we are constantly engaging 79 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 1: with our fan base um throughout the year, kind of 80 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 1: tapping into cultural moments, doing catch up stunts whenever we can. Um. 81 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: And we also have a we can talk later. I've 82 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: got a bunch of like kind of always on licensing 83 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: programs with product introductions into the market. Well, I'd say 84 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: Thrones popped back on the radar in a big way 85 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 1: during the Super Bowl with that really interesting, really counterintuitive 86 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 1: ad you guys did in partnership with bud Lee. Yeah, 87 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: where I think most people didn't realize when that thing 88 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: started playing that it was a Game of Thrones campaign. 89 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: So I'm just curious to understand the strategic rationale of 90 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: a pretty innovative approach. Yeah, I mean that that your 91 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: reaction was was kind of the goal. You know, the 92 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: Super Bowl offers an advertiser massive amounts of reach UM 93 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: and in an in an O T T market where 94 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 1: UM brands are increasingly being defined by high you know, 95 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 1: high profile tent pole programming, the Super Bowl is the 96 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: perfect place to kind of plant plant your flag and 97 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: make a big brand statement. UM. And over the past 98 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 1: couple of years, we've noticed that there has been an 99 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: increase in UM you know, UH TV advertisers, streaming services 100 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:49,039 Speaker 1: advertising in the game. We ourselves last year ran a 101 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: spot for west World, was our first and twenty years 102 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: so you know, there's a little bit of bragging rights 103 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 1: at stake and um, but there's a lot of risk 104 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 1: attached to it too, right, ten million dollars UH for 105 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:06,160 Speaker 1: a sixty second spot, the risks are very high and 106 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 1: it's pretty hard to justify, you know, your return on 107 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: investment there. UM. So we could have just dropped a 108 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: trailer during the during the Big Game, but you know, 109 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: why would we spend ten million dollars to do that 110 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 1: when we could just put it out on on social 111 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 1: networks and within the first twenty four hours we got 112 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: eighty million views. So um, we kind of felt like 113 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 1: it would be The goal was really to do something 114 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: very disruptive, to surprise and delight our fans, and to 115 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: do it with somebody else's money. That was kind of yeah, 116 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: that was kind of my It was kind of my goal. 117 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 1: So just kind of going back to our our our 118 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,799 Speaker 1: kind of for the Throne platform. It was the first 119 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,599 Speaker 1: big test and we we challenged ourselves like, okay, what 120 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:49,799 Speaker 1: would brand what would a brand do for the Throne? 121 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: It wouldn't wouldn't the ultimate sacrifice be to get a 122 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: big blue chip advertiser to sacrifice their Super Bowl commercial UH, 123 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: to to pay homage to the to the Throne and 124 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: UM game of Thrones as a show, as you many 125 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: of you know, that's kind of known for killing off 126 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: its beloved characters in shocking, unexpected ways. So if we 127 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: were able to get a brand to kill off one 128 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: of their mascots on TV's biggest stage, it would be 129 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: the ultimate holy sh it, like OMG moment um. And 130 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: and we thought about, you know who, who might be 131 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: a good candidate, and uh, the answer I think was 132 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: pretty simple. A couple a year ago, they bud Light 133 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: launched their kind of men in tights Dilly Dilly campaign, 134 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: which they were on record saying was very much inspired 135 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: by a Game of Thrones, and they were clearly trading 136 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: on our our cultural relevance. And the last year Super 137 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 1: Bowl they introduced this character of the bud Night. So 138 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: you know, we kind of looked at ourselves and we're like, 139 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: all right, the bud Night's gotta die, you know, that's 140 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: it's it's over for him. So we came up with 141 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: this crazy um, this crazy ideas. For those of you 142 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: who haven't seen the spot, very quickly starts out in 143 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 1: a medieval the Dilly Dilly universe. Uh, there's a jous 144 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: the Kings. They're the Queen's there. The bud Night is 145 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,239 Speaker 1: up on his horse, um, and as he's charging towards 146 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: his opponent, uh, he gets very violently knocked off his horse. 147 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 1: And at that moment, the tone of the spot changes 148 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: and you're not in the bright, shining world of bud Light. 149 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: You're in the world of Game of Thrones, and it's 150 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: darker and it's moody and it's ominous, and standing over 151 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 1: the fallen bud Night is the mountain. Uh. And then 152 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: all hell breaks loose and the dragons come in and 153 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: towards the whole thing, and Game of Throne slams in 154 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 1: and everyone was like, what does happen? So um so yeah, 155 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: so we created probably a ton more conversation than we 156 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: could have with just a regular Game of Thrones ad 157 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: and bud Light wasn't the only brand partnership. You guys 158 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: did talk about some of the others and the why 159 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 1: of it all, because brand partnerships is just such an 160 00:08:56,240 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 1: interesting animal, bringing together two very different things and being 161 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: one plus one equals three. Yeah. I mean, especially for 162 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: us because HBO is a non advertiser supported network. As 163 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: you know, um, you know, we like to let the 164 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: storytelling be pure and we are commercial free, so we'll 165 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 1: only really do a brand partnership if it's if it's 166 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:18,680 Speaker 1: very very organic to the show. So you know, for example, 167 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: Boardwalk Empire we had a big whiskey partnership with with 168 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 1: Jim Beam. Um. But Game of Thrones kind of breaks 169 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 1: all the rules because it is such a cultural phenomenon 170 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: that UM, brands are gonna brands are gonna be out 171 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: there culture Jackie Game of Thrones regardless of what we do. 172 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: We see it all the time. Um, they're out there 173 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: creating Game of Thrones memes, they're jumping on our hashtag 174 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 1: um and so that was gonna happen anyway, So why 175 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 1: not just embrace it and celebrate it and bring the 176 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,200 Speaker 1: brands in and see what we can do, what we 177 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: can do together. I mean, every year, never the random 178 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 1: list of brands that comment on our posts. It's like 179 00:09:54,880 --> 00:10:00,120 Speaker 1: everyone from Wendy's Too Charman to Hulu and um us 180 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: here even brand Trump got in on the action. And 181 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:04,559 Speaker 1: I don't know if you noticed that, but I think 182 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:06,719 Speaker 1: I heard about that. Yeah, so that was what is 183 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: the HBO attitude towards something like that? Yeah, it was weird. 184 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: I never thought I would be in a Twitter spat 185 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: with the with the president. But for those of you 186 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:18,680 Speaker 1: that that missed this a few months ago, um, uh, 187 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: the President declared that sanctions are coming uh and tweet 188 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 1: and tweeted, tweeted out a Game of Thrones meme of course, 189 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: a giant poster of him with sanctions sanctions are coming 190 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: in in Game of Thrones type face. So, um, you know, 191 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 1: our attitude was we don't really like our I P 192 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 1: to be used for political purposes. Um. At the same time, 193 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 1: we didn't want to pick a fight with the President 194 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,079 Speaker 1: by any means. So I give my social team a 195 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: lot of credit because they had a very snarky little 196 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: subtweet that said, how do you say trademark infringement and death? 197 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: Racky and uh and that got a lot of a 198 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: lot of press coverage. So anyway, back to your back 199 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: to your question, Um, brands are you know, brands are. 200 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 1: Brands are part of our fluencer strategy. You know, they're 201 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: fans of the show and we like to embrace that. 202 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 1: So we've got a bunch of partnerships rolling out. Um. 203 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:10,719 Speaker 1: Some are promotional, some are licensed goods. Um, I got 204 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: my house Stark, Adidas Ultra Boosts on on sale tomorrow. 205 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: So Adidas is oh my god, I mean sorry, shameless plug. 206 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: Um they're pretty cool though, and they are cool. I 207 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: don't know what they say about how stark, but I 208 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:26,119 Speaker 1: like them anyway. So um uh we have Adidas partnership, 209 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:31,079 Speaker 1: we have Johnny Walker has a limited uh white White 210 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: Walker whiskey, um oreo of all brands is rolling out 211 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: some Game of Thrones cookies and u uh. Major League 212 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 1: Baseball is gonna be doing some promotions and all their 213 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 1: stadiums this season. And you guys were also active on 214 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: the ground in south Buy yeah, um doing some experiential stuff. 215 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: I mean that seems like it's also a kind of 216 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: a weapon in the marketing arsenal that no great piece 217 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: of programming needs to go without. Yeah, south Bys look, 218 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,079 Speaker 1: south By is crazy. We love south By because it's 219 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: a great opportunity to reach media and technology influencers. The 220 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: timing usually lines up with our big second quarter event 221 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: where we usually have a big tent pole. Um, but 222 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:17,559 Speaker 1: it is it's kind of like brand soup these days, 223 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: Like it is really really hard to stand out. The 224 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 1: barrier to entries really high, and I think we're partly 225 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: responsible for that because last year we had this crazy 226 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 1: idea for west World to recreate the town of Sweetwater. 227 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,559 Speaker 1: So we literally took over this old mining town about 228 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:38,679 Speaker 1: twenty miles outside of Austin and dressed it as Westworld, UM, 229 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 1: staged it with over sixty actors, wrote a four hundred 230 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: and fifty page script, and it was this totally immersive 231 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: experience that was ironically very low tech for a high 232 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: tech conference. UM anyway, so that generated a ton of 233 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: buzz and and this year when we thought about, okay, 234 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: Game of Thrones, what do we want to do there? Yes, 235 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 1: we want something that's immersive and interactive that the fans 236 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: will love. But we all so saw an opportunity to 237 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 1: maybe leverage the campaign as a force for for good. UM, 238 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: could we do something that was pro social to sort 239 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: of give back a little bit, and so we partnered 240 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:15,439 Speaker 1: UM with the with the American Red Cross. UM again 241 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 1: part of our for the Throne campaign. We we asked ourselves, Okay, 242 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 1: what what would fans do for the Throne? What would 243 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: they what ultimate sacrifice would they make? Could we get 244 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 1: them to bleed for the Throne? Um? And so, yeah, 245 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: we don't have an awareness problem for Game of Thrones. 246 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: But but there is a global blood shortage. So the 247 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: Red Cross was a great partner. We launched a blood 248 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:39,560 Speaker 1: drive at south By Southwest. It was also scaled nationally 249 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 1: to forty three states. UM we raised eighty thousand units 250 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: of blood. UM. And so you know, my team when 251 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 1: they were pitching this to me, they were they were 252 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: kind of saying, like, look, the the success metrics for 253 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: this are not about impressions, it's about it's about live save. 254 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: So so yeah, so we had a really great UM 255 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: experience on the ground. UM did a lot of really 256 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: good things for the Red Cross, but also had a 257 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 1: very immersive experience for non donors. You didn't have to donate. 258 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 1: We also created a world where you could kind of, um, 259 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: go out onto the battlefield and interact with wildlings and 260 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: members of the Night's Watch and the thracky soldiers and 261 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: so um. You know, they got a real I think 262 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: the fans got a real treat out of that experience. UM. 263 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 1: And and look, it's hard to do these things. Well, 264 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: it's very easy to just have a free for all 265 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: with free booze and free drinks, but we take these 266 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: things very seriously. And when if we're gonna do it. 267 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: We want there to be a real narrative reason for it. Uh. 268 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 1: And so the season explain to you, um, we're preparing 269 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: for the Great War, the Great War against the Dead 270 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: is finally here. Uh. And so we asked people to 271 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: take a pledge for the throne uh and join the 272 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: Army of the living to fight for the dead. And 273 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: so in a narrative respect, that kind of marries well 274 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: with the Red Crosses mission in terms of like saving lives. 275 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: So it all, it all worked out really well. When 276 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 1: you're describing the scale of what you attempted on the 277 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: ground in Austin and just everything you're talking about here, 278 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 1: it feels to me like the marketing for a Marquee show. 279 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm not you're not, I'm not asking for 280 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: dollar figures here, but it's almost like a series production 281 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 1: cost in and of itself. Is that like table stakes 282 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 1: now in this peak TV era where if you're gonna 283 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: stand out from the crowd, you've got to really pay 284 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 1: up big. I mean, look, I think smart ideas will 285 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 1: always rise to the surface, and smart ideas don't always 286 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 1: have to cost a lot of money, but it certainly 287 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: helps if you have a lot of money. Um. And 288 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: there is such a ferocious competition for attention, uh and 289 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: for branding in this world that that you do need 290 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: to sometimes make that big investment in that big bet. 291 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: You can't do it on every show, but on the 292 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: shows that are going to really drive your business, the 293 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: shows that are going to define your brand, I think 294 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: it's worth it. Now for Game of Thrones, you know, 295 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna tell you how much we spent, but 296 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: it's not as much as you think, because so much 297 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: of what we did was trading on um kind of 298 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: other brands coming to the table and and sort of 299 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: bringing money to the table, and so that made it 300 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: much more efficient for us. But certainly last year when 301 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 1: we were um, you know, we had West World in market. Yeah, 302 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: we had some skin in the game. Another low cost 303 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: but efficient marketing method is social media, where I almost 304 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: feel like Thrones kind of set the bar excuse me 305 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: for a long time ago about leveraging you know, the 306 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: Twitter and facebooks of the world to get the word 307 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: out without necessarily spending millions of dollars on say a 308 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: thirty seconds spot. UM. Has that continued straight through to 309 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: this last season? Absolutely? Uh, you know, we have the 310 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: benefit of having a massive army of fans were thirty 311 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: five million social connections, um. And even when we launched 312 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: the series, we had a built in fan base from 313 00:16:56,240 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: the book. So that certainly gives you a huge running start. 314 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: But at the same time, and this is a particular 315 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: breed of of a fan, I mean, they're every day 316 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:06,360 Speaker 1: is comic com when you're a Game of Thrones fan. 317 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 1: And I've seen, uh, just the craziest ship. I mean, 318 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:13,440 Speaker 1: people have like given themselves like dragon tattoos. I've seen 319 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: at least five marriage proposals on the throne. When we've 320 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: done these promotional events. Um, they really pull out, pull 321 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: out all the stops. Um. But you know, everything is 322 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 1: based on that we do in social media is based 323 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 1: on on that fan insight, Like we need to think 324 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: like them, we need to behave like them if we 325 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: want them to co sign what we're doing, um authentically. 326 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 1: But it's a it's a magical thing when you can 327 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:43,119 Speaker 1: have a call and response type of uh relationship with 328 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: your fan and you can sort of ask them to 329 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 1: do something, then you actually see it happen, no matter 330 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: how much of an investment in time you're asking for. 331 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 1: So we a couple of things I just wanted to 332 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,400 Speaker 1: mention that we're doing which I thought was were particularly 333 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:58,159 Speaker 1: fun this year with fans UM two programs. One is 334 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 1: called Creator the Throne. Where are um? You know, we 335 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 1: launched a fan anthem phantom if you will, videos highlighting 336 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: a lot of the great fan art and a lot 337 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: of the work that's been created by our fans, really 338 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: shining a light back on them, um, you know, kind 339 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: of like taking a page from Apple's you know, shot 340 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 1: on iPhone six video where you know, we're we're showcasing 341 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 1: their work. Were actually like not only in digital media, 342 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:23,159 Speaker 1: but also on billboards. UM. And so our Create for 343 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 1: the Throne program took eighteen props from the show and 344 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: put them in the hands of eighteen artists who are 345 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: also fans around the world and asked them to uh 346 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 1: kind of create their own inspiration based on that particular prop, 347 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 1: and then we're showcasing it in social media. Uh. And 348 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:44,679 Speaker 1: then we just recently launched another promotional program globally again 349 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 1: U called Quest for the Throne, where we dropped six 350 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: thrones in completely random remote locations around the globe and 351 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: asked fans to go on a quest to find them 352 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: for bragging rights to be the first one. The only 353 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 1: thing they had to go on was just very very 354 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: obtuse clues that we dropped on Twitter and videos, and 355 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: the the first one was just found after forty eight hours. 356 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: A couple of neurology students from Oxford found it. UM. 357 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:19,439 Speaker 1: Of course, neurology students from Oxford. UM. But just the 358 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: fact that someone will be willing to do that shows 359 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,679 Speaker 1: you the passion and the spirit that these fans have, 360 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 1: and it's it's really blessed to have that. I don't 361 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:29,959 Speaker 1: know that we'll ever have something like that again. And 362 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: you mentioned Oxford, and it is a reminder that Thrones 363 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:37,120 Speaker 1: is not just some American phenomenon. It's very global. So 364 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:41,439 Speaker 1: marketing wise, is there a lot of coordination with uh 365 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: international outposts of HBO to make this happen? I mean 366 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 1: it sounds like quite an ordeal. Yeah, I mean in 367 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 1: the you know, in the studio world, I mean going 368 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,640 Speaker 1: to market globally and and and and certainly even Netflix, 369 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: how they go to market is UH it's always structured 370 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: that way. But for us, we've always been UM a 371 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 1: kind of domestic, the focused business. And while we do 372 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:05,160 Speaker 1: have a huge reach, we're distributed in over a hundred 373 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,879 Speaker 1: and fifty countries, and we do have owned and operated networks. 374 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 1: It's been somewhat decentralized. But Game of Thrones is a 375 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 1: global phenomenon, and Game of Thrones the same as it 376 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:15,919 Speaker 1: drives our business, it drives our partners business. So we 377 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 1: do go to market with one voice. Um. And we 378 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 1: you know, we were planning this campaign, we always thought about, okay, 379 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: what can we do with our with our other divisions 380 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:31,400 Speaker 1: across the globe, and um, how can we make sure 381 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: that when we're dropping an asset, we're doing it at 382 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:37,640 Speaker 1: the same time so you get a multiplier effect. And 383 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:42,880 Speaker 1: I'm curious, now, is you approach the end? Is there 384 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 1: a marketing plan even when it's over? I mean, I 385 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:49,880 Speaker 1: know there are spinoffs, but are you not done basically? 386 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:52,120 Speaker 1: I guess that's what I'm asking. I mean, look, there's 387 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: gonna be a morning period for sure. I mean, I 388 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: don't know to fill to fill the void, uh for 389 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: Game of Thrones, And we certainly are very confident in 390 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:04,359 Speaker 1: our our lineup for the rest of the year. UM. 391 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,680 Speaker 1: But Game of Thrones does hold a very special place 392 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:09,720 Speaker 1: in people's hearts. UM. It is it is a franchise, though, 393 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 1: and we hope that that franchise will live on for 394 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: years to come. Uh. We hope that there will be 395 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: new viewers that come in as new viewers subscribe to HBO. 396 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 1: New viewers will be indoctrinated into the world a game 397 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: of Thrones, and we're gonna do our best to try 398 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: to take a page out of the uh, you know, 399 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: the Harry Potter playbook and and try to really monetize 400 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,679 Speaker 1: this this this fan this franchise, UM and keep it 401 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 1: alive in years to come. We've got a lot of 402 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: interesting not only licensing programs, but experiential programs. We've got 403 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 1: concert tours, We've got touring museum exhibitions. UM. We're actually 404 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 1: using the sets, a lot of the sets in in 405 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:51,400 Speaker 1: Northern Ireland and around the world and converting them into um, 406 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 1: you know, theme park type attractions. UM. So you know, 407 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:58,720 Speaker 1: we really do think this can happen a life after 408 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:03,400 Speaker 1: the final episode, and uh, details are scant on the 409 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:05,840 Speaker 1: on the on the prequel, but again we hope to 410 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:10,920 Speaker 1: bridge to um to whatever that ends up being. I mean, 411 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: when you look back on the run of this show, 412 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 1: clearly it has its place in television history. I'm curious 413 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 1: if you think that's the case as well from a 414 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:24,919 Speaker 1: marketing perspective, because it does seem like sort of the 415 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 1: promotional power HBO put behind this is not like anything 416 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: TV has ever seen. Uh, that's kind of you to say. 417 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm I'm not gonna like shoot my own horn, 418 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: but I'm I'm incredibly proud of like what we've done. Um. 419 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 1: I like to believe that Game of Thrones wouldn't be 420 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,880 Speaker 1: what it is if we hadn't at least UM kind 421 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,919 Speaker 1: of lit the kindling right and and and started to 422 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: get that effect going in the market and to get 423 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 1: people to think about the show, UM, care about the show, 424 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: create share, UM. All of at activity certainly sparks conversation, 425 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: and it's what made Game of Thrones is today in 426 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: terms of being a real part of the cultural fabric 427 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:12,239 Speaker 1: um of the entertainment landscape. So, you know, I do 428 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: think marketing plays a role in that in terms of 429 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 1: stoking the fan base and stoking conversation. UM. Certainly, the 430 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 1: spikes that we see every week are not an accident. 431 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:25,920 Speaker 1: It's not just organic about you know, some big moment 432 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: in the show. It's things that we're asking the fans 433 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,919 Speaker 1: to do questions we're posing to them, So we do 434 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 1: play a role, But I certainly would not take credit for, um, 435 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:37,680 Speaker 1: the success of the show. Well, I think what may 436 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:39,640 Speaker 1: get some credit as well is I think there's something 437 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: to just the genre that Game of Thrones operates in, 438 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: this fantasy adventure action kind of thing. Are those kind 439 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 1: of shows conducive to just fun, interesting, big marketing campaigns. Yeah, 440 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:55,959 Speaker 1: I mean they definitely, uh lend themselves to a lot 441 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: of promotional extensions. Certainly when you compare them to some 442 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 1: of our other more for stees dramas like Chernobyl. You know, 443 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: we're not that doesn't scream mart We're not We're not blown. 444 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 1: We're not blowing that one out with promotional partnerships so 445 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: to speak. Yeah. Um, but but yeah, I mean, look, 446 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: it's it's a big, epic, rich tapestry to play off of. 447 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: You have a built in fan base, and and you've 448 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:20,879 Speaker 1: seen a lot of our competitors out there talking about 449 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 1: trying to find their Game of Thrones. Because again, when 450 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,119 Speaker 1: you have a show like that, it can really not 451 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:29,359 Speaker 1: only define the brand, keep subscribers tethered to the to 452 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 1: the service for you know, five six, seven, years, UM 453 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: and the and that genre does play really well globally um, 454 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:40,760 Speaker 1: you know, and probably only a handful of our shows, 455 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:45,640 Speaker 1: I think our priorities for the rest of HBO international 456 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: distributors UM Game of Thrones certainly being one of them, UM, 457 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 1: But it plays best in those markets is often local content, 458 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 1: locally produced content. We see that ourselves. But game again, 459 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:59,679 Speaker 1: I think there's something about the universal language of fantasy 460 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: UM and action and things that are escapist and have 461 00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 1: scale and and at their core really Game of Thrones 462 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 1: as a human drama. And I think a lot of 463 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 1: these fantasy shows fantasies the backdrop, but what keeps you 464 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:16,200 Speaker 1: watching is just your emotional connection to the to the 465 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: to the characters, um. And to bring it back to 466 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 1: for the Throne, that's kind of what we were, That's 467 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:23,919 Speaker 1: what we were aiming for, you know. We we were like, 468 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 1: how can we what is the what is the hook? 469 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 1: What is the creative platform that will tie a ribbon 470 00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:33,119 Speaker 1: around eight years of this show but also would be 471 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 1: flexible enough to kind of translate to local markets across 472 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 1: the globe, and and the insight that is rooted in it. 473 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,639 Speaker 1: It really does come back to that human truth and 474 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,119 Speaker 1: the show is about devotion and it's about sacrifice, whether 475 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: you're a character or whether you're a fan. And does 476 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 1: this become the kind of show where as you work 477 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 1: on your who knows how many other HBO shows, you know, 478 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 1: there's there's sort of the Game of Thrones playbook and 479 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 1: you look back on that one and borrow some tricks 480 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 1: for various shows. Or is it this is something that 481 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 1: kind of stands on its own. It's so unique you 482 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: can't really apply it to this or that. Yeah, I 483 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: mean I think, I mean, maybe there's some kind of learnings, 484 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 1: but for the most part, it's a very bespoke process. Like, 485 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:21,640 Speaker 1: you know, we're not gonna um for another show. We're 486 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:25,400 Speaker 1: not gonna do a massive reveal of the premier date 487 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:29,160 Speaker 1: on Facebook Live by melting a giant block of ice 488 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:31,920 Speaker 1: through like tweets, you know what I mean, Like it's 489 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: just really happened, but which actually did happen? Not not 490 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 1: not my proudest moment, but it was like it was 491 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 1: one of the more kind of like fun risks that 492 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 1: we that we took with the show. So so yeah, 493 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:44,119 Speaker 1: so I don't I don't know that we necessarily have 494 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: a have a Game of Thrones playbook. But I think 495 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 1: with every one of these big ten poles, I think 496 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 1: we learned something we can apply it to future shows. Well, 497 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: looking forward to seeing the reception for this show, which 498 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:58,440 Speaker 1: I'm sure we'll be humongous. And thanks for coming to 499 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 1: telling us about Thank you, Thank Andy. All Right, this 500 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 1: has been another episode of Strictly Business. Tune in next 501 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 1: week for another helping of scintillating conversation with media movers 502 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 1: and shakers.