When it comes to making a splash in pop culture, few television series have mastered the art like Stranger Things. The show’s creators saw an opportunity during Super Bowl LI that few would dare to attempt: air a teaser for Season 2 to an audience of 111.3 million viewers. The Super Bowl is more than a sporting spectacle; it’s a cultural event where brands, studios, and artists fight for attention in 30-second bursts of creativity. Stranger Things took that challenge head-on, embedding itself in the collective consciousness of millions and cleverly transforming the Super Bowl from a football-centric event into a must-watch promotional moment for Hawkins’ supernatural tales.
By carefully curating the teaser, the Duffer Brothers ensured that both loyal fans and newcomers were captivated. The result? A swell of anticipation and a surge in social media chatter, which spread the show’s narrative far beyond Netflix’s platform. Stranger Things showed that when executed strategically, Super Bowl tie-ins could elevate storytelling into the mainstream in a way that few traditional advertisements achieve.
If Super Bowl tie-ins set the stage, it was Eleven’s love of Eggo waffles that sealed the show’s iconic marketing status. A quirky character trait transformed into a cultural phenomenon, Eggo waffles leaped from a nostalgic breakfast staple into a symbol synonymous with Stranger Things itself. The character’s obsession had fans flocking to stores, demonstrating the show’s ability to influence real-world consumer behaviour.
Recognising the potential, Kellogg embraced the opportunity with gusto. The company provided a vintage 1980s Eggo commercial for Netflix’s Super Bowl LI teaser, blending retro charm with contemporary excitement. Suddenly, a simple waffle became a bridge between the fictional world of Hawkins and the real world, delighting fans and creating a cross-generational appeal. Stranger Things leveraged storytelling to make product placement feel natural, not forced, transforming a marketing gimmick into an emotional touchpoint for the audience.
The Eggo effect illustrates the brilliance of narrative-driven marketing: fans were not being sold a product in isolation, they were invited into Eleven’s world, sharing a piece of her identity and her quirky habits. As a result, Eggo waffles saw unprecedented attention and sales spikes, while Stranger Things cemented its reputation for crafting immersive, culture-shaping experiences.
Stranger Things’ collaboration with Kellogg is emblematic of a broader trend in entertainment: blending content and marketing to create lasting brand impact. By integrating products authentically into the narrative, the series has shown how storytelling and consumer culture can complement each other. The partnership extends beyond a simple advertisement; it’s a seamless incorporation into the lore of Hawkins, enhancing both fan engagement and brand loyalty.
The show has become a blueprint for other series seeking to intertwine narrative with marketing in meaningful ways. Super Bowl tie-ins, product collaborations, and nostalgic callbacks collectively form a marketing ecosystem where the story drives demand, and the products reinforce narrative immersion. With Season 5 set to drop this November, fans can expect Stranger Things to continue this trend, potentially using high-profile events and consumer tie-ins to deepen audience connection and create cultural moments that resonate far beyond the screen.
Stranger Things demonstrates that marketing can do more than sell; it can participate in the narrative, influence culture, and even shape consumer behaviour. Turning Eggo waffles into a beloved emblem of Eleven’s character exemplifies this perfectly. Through strategic tie-ins, clever storytelling, and authentic engagement, Stranger Things has proven itself to be more than a television series—it’s a cultural juggernaut, a lesson in narrative-driven marketing, and an enduring phenomenon that seamlessly merges entertainment and consumer culture.
