HBO's "Game of Thrones" Licenses and Licenses and Licenses

Game of Thrones is HBO's most popular series--ever.

Across platforms, it averages more than 18 million viewers per episode, eclipsing HBO's hit series The Sopranos. 

 Naturally, HBO wants to make the most of this highly visible brand.

So it's been licensing Game of Thrones for all manner of products, including:

• Jewelry made by Pyrrha, featuring the symbols of the powerful Westeros houses (see above). Pyrrha segments this market by gender, recipient (family, friend, etc.) interest in a particular "house," type of jewelry, and meaning (friendship, love, wisdom, recovery, etc.)
• Beer made by Ommegang, a New York brewery. The initial beers were inspired by the House of Targaryen (think dragons). 
• The Wines of Westeros, made in Australia, will debut in 2015, in time for Season 5 of the series. Aggressive Westeros houses are represented by red wines, while white wines embody the subtlety of the sly houses.
• Living Language is planning to offer a new "Learn Dothraki" language course in October.

What product categories can Game of Thrones NOT conquer with the strength of its brand equity?

Crayola Leverages Its Brand

Everybody remembers coloring with Crayola Crayons...the brand name and its colors are iconic. And that's why Crayola is licensing its brand for all kinds of imaginative products.

For example, you can color your nails with Crayola's latest brand extension (above), mini-nail polish in vivid colors like robin's egg blue and cotton candy pink. Or you can temporarily streak your hair with Crayola Hair Styx, with a three-pack of colors for streaking (Wild Blue Yonder, Electric Lime, and Razzmatazz) or Hi-Lights in two colors (Jazzberry Jam and Blue Bell). Or clip on colorful Crayola hair accessories.

Crayola has teamed up with Mattel to use brand names like Hot Wheels and Barbie on art supplies and markers with Crayola's crayon names. Coming soon: baked goods with Crayola Crayon colors, to be launched in 2013.

What's next for Crayola?

Hello Again from Hello Kitty

Hello Kitty is still going strong as a licensed brand--in fact, it's found some new categories for its playful brand. Not for kiddies only, by the way. How many extensions are too many for Hello Kitty? Here are three, involving spas, spoons, and the sky.

1. Dubai is home to the Hello Kitty beauty spa, shown above. Its niche is "Parisian glamor."

2. Yogurtland has a license for limited-time Hello Kitty merchandise (above), to be sold from July through Labor Day.

3. Taiwan-based EVA Airlines has painted a number of its jetliners with Hello Kitty in travel mode (for example, near the Eiffel Tower, as above).