After a successful series spanning several years, Game of Thrones is now coming to a close. The series finale has become one of the most anticipated television episodes to ever air. All the buzz and hubbub surrounding the finale deals with one of the most hotly-debated predictions of the series: who will win the Iron Throne.
In Game of Thrones, leaders of multiple kingdoms have been vying to own the Iron Throne as a symbol of their country’s might. Now, it seems like elements from the fantasy show are starting to leak into reality. Real-life Iron Throne contests are now taking place, and people are going absolutely nuts over the chance to win a prize.
A viral campaign to promote the show’s finale led to superfans scouring the Earth to find a hidden Iron Throne. The contest was a breakout success, earning millions of views. In recent months, the sheer number of groups offering up an Iron Throne-themed prize has exploded and the world just got a little more magical for it.
One of the most exciting contests to make the news comes from AT&T. Executives over at the telecom company decided to give away a real-life Iron Throne to a lucky winner as a way to celebrate their merger with Time-Warner. Since Time Warner owns the Emmy-winning series, you can bet it’s going to be pretty legit.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRYN1X7B1p4&w=560&h=315]The throne is an identical replica of the intimidatingly large seat used in the series, weighs over 300 pounds, and is currently valued at a total of $18,000. So, it’s a pretty big prize. The throne will be given away via a sweepstakes raffle for all AT&T users. As one can imagine, there are plenty of people who are hoping that they will be the lucky recipient.
Of course, Time Warner isn’t the only company that is throwing an Iron Throne contest. There are plenty of smaller businesses who have started to get in on the Game of Thrones goodness in one way or another—even if the prize itself isn’t quite as flamboyant as a real Iron Throne.
Perhaps one of the more innovative contest to feature an Iron Throne theme is Dr. Philip J. Miller’s “Wrinkles Are Coming” contest. Dr. Miller, the Facial Plastic Surgeon at Gotham Plastic Surgery (GPS), is an avid fan of the show. To celebrate the series finale, GPS is offering a year’s worth of free Botox to a lucky winner who correctly guesses the winner of the Iron Throne in the series.
His contest is a lot more attainable than the massive sweepstakes from AT&T. All contestants have to do in order to gain a shot is to tag three friends on Gotham Plastic Surgery’s social media page, tell them to like and follow the site, and then correctly guess who wins the Iron Throne.
Out of the pool of contestants who follow the rules, Dr. Miller will randomly pick one lucky winner to get the prize. Unlike AT&T’s contest, you don’t have to be a current customer to get a shot at the prize. You do, however, need to be over 21 years old and also have a serious amount of luck on your side.
Sure, Dr. Miller’s prize might not be an Iron Throne replica, but it definitely will give you a royal treat in the world of aesthetics. That’s what’s made his contest go viral online, and why people are talking about its unique take on Game of Thrones mania. His contest’s winner will be revealed a week after the series finale premieres.
Judging from the sheer amount of buzz that contests involving an Iron Throne seem to generate, it’s safe to say this is one advertising trend that definitely caught on. Some advertising executives are even calling it one of the easiest ways to get people talking—but only for so long, anyway.
Since the series finale of Game of Thrones is coming up fairly quickly, this is one trend that won’t last for too much longer. So, if you’re looking to score some epic swag thanks to your love of this series, now is the time to jump on those contests.