In honor of the TV show “Game of Thrones,” Johnnie Walker released new, limited-edition Scotch whiskies in partnership with HBO Licensing & Retail: A Song of Ice and A Song of Fire. In addition, the companies revealed that the packaging has been updated with a hidden interactive extra, courtesy of augmented reality (AR): either a steely-eyed direwolf or a fire-breathing dragon will burst into life on people’s phones, depending on which bottle they have in hand. The two whiskies celebrate the complicated relationship between House Stark and House Targaryen, which are represented by their House sigils of the direwolf and dragon, respectively. Fans of the show and the Scotch whisky can access the AR at got.johnniewalker.com or scan a QR code in store and point their phone at their limited-edition bottle to see a scene play out featuring one of the mythical creatures. With the AR launch, fans will be transported into an alternate reality, immersing themselves in the Game of Thrones world as they see their direwolf or dragon fearlessly guarding their territory. Users also have option of snapshotting and downloading part of the scene, which they can then share on social media with family and friends. In a statement, John Williams, global brand director at Johnnie Walker, said: “Innovation has been at the heart of Johnnie Walker for nearly 200 years, and we continue to be a pioneer in the industry looking for ways to bring fun and unique products to the market. This creative technology is a really great way to build on the success of our relationship with one of the greatest TV shows of all time by adding in an additional layer of excitement for fans.” Johnnie Walker A Song of Ice features single malts from Clynelish, one of Scotland’s most northern distilleries, and exudes a crisp, clean taste like the unforgiving force of ice that shapes mountains and stops rivers, the company said. The new Scotch has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 40.2 percent, and the bottle design evokes an icy setting with frosted blue and gray colors inspired by the North, known for its cold winters and frozen landscapes. Johnnie Walker A Song of Fire is rich and spicy, boasting flavors of subtle smoke from the peated malts of the Caol Ila distillery, with an ABV of 40.8 percent. Inspired by the dragons of House Targaryen, the bottle design evokes a fiery setting with deep-red colors. The two whiskies are successors to White Walker by Johnnie Walker, a limited-edition that launched in 2018. The new whiskies are available for a suggested retail price of $36 for a 750-ml bottle.
Game of Thrones’ QR code bursts into life depending on whether bottle depicts Fire or Ice
Johnnie Walker releases limited-edition Scotch whiskies with AR technology
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