Page 25 - aruba-today-20190423

BUSINESS Tuesday 23 april 2019
A25

'Thrones' is ending, but will live on in merchandise

By GARY GERARD HAMIL- sor of marketing at Pace
TON University, in an email to the
NEW YORK (AP) — From Associated Press.
wine to clothing to tours, His broad guess of how
HBO and retailers have much HBO is bringing in: "It's
cashed in through the years a lot!"
with "Game of Thrones" Aside from the chance to
merchandise. "Thrones" is make money, there have
not only a huge internation- been other benefits to re-
al show but also a massive tailers joining forces with
business, with all sides hop- HBO. Take Urban Decay's
ing to pad the bank during new makeup collection, for
the show's eighth and final example.
season. "A couple of these products
"It's thousands of products, This product image released by HBO shows various styles of Adidas x Game of Thrones Ultra Boosts didn't even exist in our line
just a lot of stuff all around sneakers inspired by HBO's "Game of Thrones" series. before. So the lipsticks were
the world," said Jeff Peters, Associated Press reimagined and have new
HBO's vice president of li- casings and everything
censing and retail. "We're years now, said Pat Roney, "At the beginning, nobody felt like they were wearing else," said Wende Zomnir,
so busy we don't stop and the company's CEO. "Just really knew what it was," a costume around town. ... founding partner and chief
count." the excitement all over the he said. "So, we were the So what you wanted to do creative officer of Urban
Products include makeup, world with the calls that we ones making phone calls is take that inspiration with Decay (the company pre-
beer, toy collectibles and get from almost 40 different and we were saying, 'Hey, a lot of the great details viously worked with HBO on
even high fashion collabo- countries to sell wine — it's you got to get in on this. We from the wardrobe from the show "Vinyl").
rations. just amazing," he said. think there's a great oppor- the show and put that into There's been a push to get
But while the show itself is Popular tours of "Game of tunity.' As the show got es- product that people actu- new "Thrones" products out
a TV phenomenon, that Thrones" filming locations in tablished and got big, then ally could wear." in time for the last season,
doesn't guarantee fans will Croatia and Ireland have all the calls came to us and There are also "Thrones"- but Lisanti thinks that even
flock to stores. boosted small, local econ- people were just throwing themed board games like when the show ends, the
"It's certainly good to be omies there, according to ideas and pitches." "Monopoly," ''CLUE" and products will stay in de-
lucky. But you don't get TripAdvisor's Andrew Aley. Some of those ideas re- "Risk"; Danielle Nicole's mand thanks to streaming
to where the merchandis- "Some really positive exam- sulted in fashion collabora- "Game of Thrones" hand- and planned spinoffs.
ing programs are with HBO ples like Northern Ireland, tions with companies like bags; and beer made by "As long as there's new con-
and what they've done for example, where it's not Adidas, who created the upstate New York's Brewery tent, then the franchise will
with 'Game of Thrones' un- somewhere that's always now hard-to-find "Adidas Ommegang. continue to be popular.
less you have a true, point- been on every tourist's ra- x Game of Thrones Ultra Just how much money is And that content doesn't
by-point marketing and dar and it's now become Boosts" shoes, as well as a being made? No one really have to be another se-
merchandising and retail one of the major pillars of collection with men's fash- knows except HBO. And ries," said Lisanti. It could be
strategy," said product and tourism in that local econ- ion designer John Varvatos. the number's hard to esti- events such as a "traveling
licensing expert Tony Lisan- omy," he said. "But it's one "The one thing that always mate, for a reason. exhibition, concerts series,
ti. of those factors that's then stands out in my mind from "HBO wants to get as high and events in cities and
"This is a global property driving tourism to other at- the first season was all the a licensing fee as possible. around the world."
and every country may tractions as well, like at textures, all the way the It will not want the com- HBO isn't worried.
resonate a little different," Belfast Titanic or Giant's leathers are finished, the panies that license 'Game "We're striking right now
he said. Causeway." artisan fabrics, and it's a lot of Thrones' to know what while the iron is hot," said
California-based Vintage It wasn't always this easy for of what we do," said Varva- deals HBO is striking so that Peters. "But we're pretty
Wine Estates has been HBO to find retailing part- tos. "But I also didn't want those companies seek to confident that there will be
making the official "Game ners for "Game of Thrones," to make 'Game of Thrones' obtain a lower fee," wrote interest in 'Game of Thrones'
of Thrones" wine for three Peters said. (clothes) where someone Dr. Larry Chiagouris, profes- for a long time."q