• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, March 28, 2023

The world may know him best as Tormund Giantsbane, leader of the Wildings in “Game of Thrones.” But he’s back as a lawn-care legend, starring in a new “Scott for Scott’s” campaign for Scott’s Miracle-Gro.

The campaign, a reboot from an earlier “Scott for Scott’s” effort a decade ago, is part of the company’s push to reeducate a nation of homeowners exasperated by crabgrass and weeds.

It's also based on the new reality of yards becoming one of the most important rooms in the house.

“When the pandemic hit, people started living in their backyards,” says John Sass, vice president and chief creative officer of the Marysville, Ohio-based company. “Yards became living rooms, playrooms, workout rooms and dining rooms. And all that use meant they often got worn out,” he tells Marketing Daily.

That high use has continued, Sass adds. “People have been busy buying firepits and hot tubs and gym equipment. They want the grass to look as good as possible when they’re out there.”

The spots encourage people to download an app, which can help answer their questions about feeding, seeding and weeding.

“Many people, particularly millennials and new homeowners, don’t know what to do or when to do it,” Sass says. “That brought us back to the idea of a Scot for Scott’s: someone who would give people the answers.”

Kristofer Hivju, the Norwegian actor who plays the Scotsman, “is bold, energetic and slightly unapologetic.” And he dishes out advice with Celtic authority and a little of his “Game of Thrones” humor (minus the axe).

Ads are running in sports and news programming and will continue throughout the spring, targeting homeowners aged 25 and older. “Millennials and Gen Z are an important audience for us," says Sass. "Once, young homeowners might have asked a neighbor for advice. Now, they’re looking at YouTube videos on their phone.”

It’s the first campaign for the brand from MullenLowe, which has previously worked on Scott’s Roundup business.