‘A Can Has No Name’ was created specifically for the Mtn Dew and Game of Thrones super fan. The inspiration for the design of ‘A Can With No Name’ came from the reinterpretation of key elements from Game of Thrones. In the show, the Faceless Men (a guild of assassins), give up their identities to become “no one” in service to the Many-Faced God. Arya Stark, a beloved character, trained with the Faceless Men as a girl with no name. In tribute to Game of Thrones, Mtn Dew gave up its iconic neon green “face” to reveal a stark white, brand less can. When warm, the cans appear nameless, but once chilled, they reveal Arya’s kill list. ‘A Can Has No Name’ pays tribute to the characters killed and reveals a reminder of her remaining targets for the final season, turning a key show element into a tangible keepsake.
We started with a blank canvas to make the most intriguing and impactful impression. This bold move created an opportunity for an epic reveal of Arya’s kill list, rendered in Game of Thrones’ iconic use of the Trajan font. The ‘A Can Has No Name’ concept was achieved with temperature-sensitive thermochromatic ink, allowing for color to have a faint residual look at room temperature, then become enhanced when refrigerated to illuminate the design. The campaign execution included the ‘brandless’ Mountain Dew can, ‘winterized’ social media assets, an online sweepstakes, and consumer activations. For the activations, fans went to a location in NYC or LA specified on social media, said the secret password (another homage to the Faceless Men) to get a coin to insert into an Iron Vending Machine. Once fans had the can in hand, it was dunked in a liquid nitrogen bath to finally reveal Arya’s kill list.
