Netflix Drives Final Season Frenzy

Netflix is gearing up for the long-awaited fifth and final season of “Stranger Things” with a global marketing and merchandising campaign on the scale of a blockbuster film.

Ahead of the season premiere on Wednesday, thousands of fans gathered in Los Angeles for “One Last Ride,” a cycling event inspired by the show’s iconic bike-riding teens from Hawkins, Indiana.

Netflix Launches Its Biggest “Stranger Things” Merchandise Program Ever

Retailers are rolling out a wide range of branded products—from Demogorgon Crunch cereal to Hellfire Club backpacks—as part of what Netflix Chief Marketing Officer Marian Lee calls the streamer’s largest consumer products program to date.

Brands are capitalizing on the show’s signature 1980s aesthetic:

• Gatorade revived its retro Citrus Cooler flavor.
• Walmart is offering an exclusive line of “Stranger Things”–themed Care Bears, nodding to one of the decade’s most popular toys.

Global Promotions Drive Anticipation for the Final Season

The promotional campaign stretches worldwide, underscoring the show’s global appeal.

• In Paris, visitors can explore a Hawkins-themed Christmas market at Galeries Lafayette.
• A traveling “Stranger Things” experience, featuring a recreation of Hawkins Lab, has made stops in San Francisco, New York, Rio de Janeiro, and Sydney.
• New Netflix House locations in malls feature immersive “Stranger Things” installations.

“We see ‘Stranger Things’ everywhere,” said Cioletti. “It’s on social media, in storefronts—every possible placement.”

Fans Reflect on a Show That Defined a Generation

At the Los Angeles cycling event, fans expressed excitement and nostalgia as the series approaches its conclusion.

Chloe Allen, 21, shared:

“The show started when I was in about sixth grade, so I was the same age as the characters when it started. It’s been a huge part of my life.”

The ‘Stranger Things’ Universe Will Continue

Even as the original series wraps up, Netflix plans to keep the franchise alive for years:

• “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” is currently running on Broadway and London’s West End.
• An animated “Stranger Things” series is slated for next year.
• A live-action spinoff is also in development.
  Co-creator Ross Duffer noted:
  “It’s not a continuation of the story of Hawkins or these characters, but it’s still in the universe of ‘Stranger Things.’”

With massive fan excitement, global brand partnerships, and multiple spinoff projects planned, Netflix is preparing to extend the legacy of “Stranger Things” long after the final season drops.

Source: Reuters