Taking one look at even a promotional image can give you a glimpse into the neon lights and upside down world of Stranger Things, but the marketing campaigns chose to go far beyond a still image as they aimed to immerse viewers into the world of Hawkins, Indiana in a way that not many other franchises have done. While it’s not uncommon for similar media, like Star Wars or Harry Potter, to engage in immersive experiences by creating theme parks surrounding their franchise’s world building, Stranger Things does it differently by using experiential marketing to build hype around upcoming seasons, rather than capitalizing off of preconceived fame like the previously mentioned series.
Stranger Things did something clever to build hype for season four, by engaging fans via a Twitter post where multiple coordinates were listed. As they rushed to decode the cryptic message, they soon found that it led to 15 different landmarks throughout the world over a span of 14 different countries, ex. Empire State Building in New York City, The Gateway of India to name a couple, where the marketing team had projected giant rifts connecting the Upside Down to our world accompanied by various images of monsters and characters. Not only was this a huge collaboration with major landmarks, but it acknowledged and immersed its international fans, something that other franchises may overlook the importance of.
To take it a step further, they also used experiential marketing to their advantage by creating “Stranger Things: The Experience” which had multiple pop-up locations in various cities across the USA, Canada, and the UK. This experience allowed fans to venture through Hawkins, the Upside Down, and interact with monsters and other iconic elements of the show. Erica writing for Web Content Development writes about the whole event, saying, “Because the Experience hit cities before the show aired in late May, the famous show’s views skyrocketed. Experiential marketing satisfies where traditional marketing cannot. It allows people to become a part of the brand, not just passive consumers. If it weren’t for the ingenuity of experiential marketing, Stranger Things might not have reached its noteworthy billion views.” The use of experiential marketing ended up being a phenomenal advertising decision because it acknowledged the fans relationship to the show and its universe in a memorable and personal way.
Actor Matthew Modine, who plays the scientist Dr. Brenner on the show, even made a surprise appearance at the New York location. In response to the actor’s appearance, Charles Taylor for Forbes wrote, “By providing a special experience for those physically present as well as a feel-good story for those exposed to media coverage of the event, deep loyalty can be fostered.” He makes a really good point by mentioning how even fans who couldn’t attend the event can feel vicariously joyed watching the efforts that the show goes to to give back to its fanbase, thus appealing to a wide variety of the audience.
On a smaller scale, Stranger Things also did brand collaborations with companies like Dominos, Mac Cosmetics, and Nike, which aren’t just popular brands but also ones that can seamlessly tie into the universe of the show. A pizza chain was a prominent detail throughout season four and the 80’s aesthetic relies heavily on its distinct makeup style and the rise of sneaker culture.
These paratextual instances all connect to my argument that Stranger Things is a well-crafted and well executed series because rather than simply advertising in a way that’s standard and cheaper but may still be just as effective, they’re going that extra mile to immerse fans in the world building by directly connecting them with the show and giving back to the audience by creating lasting memories.