Just a few weeks after the release of the long awaited third season of Netflix’s Stranger Things, I dive into how Netflix has established one of the greatest marketing strategies, giving fans a first hand look into the Upside Down.
Gearing up for Stranger Things 3, Netflix’s creative marketing team planned one of the most emersive experiences I have seen for any film or television show. While several other cities in the world experienced these themed pop-ups, Los Angeles was the first stop for the ultimate Hawkins fan experience.
Santa Monica
Taking over the beach city of Santa Monica, Stranger Things 3 transformed Santa Monica High School with a celebration of all things Hawkins. Netflix created a blast from the past experience accompanied by a Hawkins cheer team, sweet treats reminiscent of 1985 and of course, premiered its first couple episodes to those lucky to attend. However, the celebration didn’t end there; the Santa Monica Pier was also converted to ‘Mayor Cline’s Fun Fair’ which was a near replica of the fictitious carnival in the latter episodes of the new season. This event proved to be a massive success for its marketing team in promoting the show’s newest season, drawing thousands of fans to engage with each event. So much so, the third and final day of the carnival was at capacity within only a couple hours of it’s opening.
Ahoy, Burbank!
This event definitely takes the cake, or rather… the cherry on top of a Demogorgon sundae. With the Starcourt Mall as the center of the seasons’ plot, Scoops Ahoy is seemingly one of the biggest attractions of Starcourt. The show’s marketing team however, took Scoops to the next level. (And boy did they not disappoint!)
A new branding partner of Stranger Things, Baskin Robins attached itself to one of the biggest shows on Netflix, turning its Burbank location into a full blown Scoops Ahoy. Seeing some of the photos of the pop-up on social media, I knew I had to experience it for myself! While it did take a few hours of standing in line, it was definitely worth the wait! Not only did they deliver the most delicious sundaes’ based on the fictitious ice cream assortments offered at Scoops, the decor of the store was again, one of the most impressive I had ever seen!
Let’s just say, the U.S.S. Butterscotch sundae was all the rave!
The Starcourt Experience
The final act of this three course fan experience, was the Starcourt Mall Experience. (One of the most immersive pop-ups I had the pleasure of attending) When announcing yet another interactive pop-up, the Stranger Things Facebook page provided very little detail as to what exactly the experience would be. Created at the corner of Sunset Blvd, a production team began re-decorating the “mall” from the ground up. I visited Starcourt just a couple days before opening to take a quick peak of the production’s exterior.
Below is a photo of the exterior getting a few last minute touches before opening day.
On its second day of opening, my friend Reagan and I arrived early and eager to get our Starcourt Mall fix. (Again, we were not disappointed!) Essentially, the experience began the minute we walked into the queue. We were served a scoop of U.S.S. Butterscotch from a Scoops Ahoy themed ice cream truck (shaped like a boat I might add), a can of New Coke and a cute penny press keepsake in a design of our choice! (I was instantly hooked)
Once we reached the front of the line, I didn’t think the experience could possibly get any better! (But it did!) The first room of the mall was a miniature version of the Starcourt atrium. It was like walking straight into the 1980’s and was nearly an exact replica to the set of the show. I loved each small attention to detail, including the neon sign and guest information kiosk.
Each of the rooms that followed, represented a set from the new season such as the Flash photo studio, Hawkins Community Pool, El’s bedroom and even a Russian science lab! Each of the set-ups were very detailed with props and costumed actors in place to further bring the experience to life. Overall, It was an event I will never forget!
Below are a couple photos from my trip to The Starcourt Mall!
Sweet Success
After a two year intermission, the Duffer Brothers and Netflix spared no expense when promoting the show’s biggest season yet. With such a large fan following, it was smart on the marketing team to find a new way of emerging fans through experiences that could make them feel in touch with their favorite characters. What better way to make your fans enjoy the new season than by experiencing it for themselves? As a longtime fan of Stranger Things, becoming part of Hawkins was a unique experience. This innovation and attention to detail is what separates this show and its marketing strategy, far from others. Of course, with a few edge of your seat teaser trailers and a few fan pop-ups, the show now holds the record for the most watched television series on Netflix. And rightfully so!
As an aspiring professional in the industry, I am continuously amazed by the amount of thought that goes into the marketing of these shows. These unique campaigns give fans the opportunity to connect with the show in ways far beyond the imaginable. It’s because of experiences and moments like these that I am grateful to have chosen a career that allows its creators to interact with audiences in ways fans could never have imagined. Kudos to the creative marketing team at Netflix for one of the most successful campaigns in television history. It’ll be interesting to see how other shows will compare to the scale of the ultimate fan experience of Stranger Things 3 .
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