Burger King taps into Stranger Things hype with eerie 'Upside Down Whopper'
Ahead of Stranger Things' anticipated return to Netflix, Burger King is adding to the list of brands tapping into the hype, with the release of a promotional ‘Upside Down Whopper.’
As one of Netflix’ most marketable original shows, it’s no surprise that brands are beginning to announce brand partnerships, ahead of the release of season 3 on 15 July.
A co-promotion with Coca-Cola and Netflix, Burger King is reaping the seeds of Stranger Thing's popularity, with a nod to the upside parallel dimension that exists in the retro sci-fi series.
The ‘Upside Down Whopper’ contains all the same ingredients as an ordinary burger – only it arrives bottom-up.
Burger King’s decision to offer the limited-edition burger in 11 locations is another reference to the eerie Netflix show. Eleven is the show’s protagonist; a kidnapped kid who doesn’t get the best start in life, given she grows up as an experiment in a laboratory.
On sale from June 21, the burger will only be available in the US. The 11 restaurants will also sell limited-edition Stranger Things gear, including T-shirts, ketchup packets, crowns and pins.
The campaign was devised by two of Burger King’s agencies, David Miami and MullenLowe US.
Burger King isn’t the only brand riding on the hit show's bandwagon – on Wednesday (12 June) Nike announced it was launching a retro collection based on the hit show.
Last month, Coca-Cola’s partnership with period thriller Stranger Things, saw it reminisce about the launch of ‘New Coke’ – a failed effort to launch a new recipe in 1985.
The ‘new coke’ spot featured the show’s stars in a bold branded teaser for the launch of season three.
Ahead of Stranger Things season 2, a range of brands reared their heads, from Topshop who refurbished its London Oxford Street flagship store in honour of beloved Barbs, to Spotify who matched its users to characters from the show that they shared a psychological affinity with.