The food and beverage industry continues to showcase the power of strategic partnerships, and Gatorade’s latest collaboration with Netflix’s Stranger Things demonstrates how brands can leverage nostalgia and pop culture to drive consumer engagement. As the fifth and final season of the hit series approaches, Gatorade is launching an ambitious “No Ordinary Athlete” campaign that brings back one of the most requested flavors from the 1980s.
The Power of Nostalgic Marketing in Food & Beverage
The revival of discontinued products has become a powerful marketing strategy across the food and beverage industry. Gatorade’s decision to bring back Citrus Cooler: a fan-favorite flavor from the 1980s: demonstrates how beverage companies can tap into consumer nostalgia while creating buzz around major entertainment partnerships.
“For over 60 years, Gatorade, the OG sports drink, has fueled the world’s greatest athletes. Now in 1987 Hawkins, the crew is gearing up for the final battle with Gatorade: choosing no ordinary thirst quencher to fuel the extraordinary,” said Anuj Bhasin, SVP of Marketing, Gatorade. “The Gatorade Stranger Things 5 collaboration celebrates our authentic 1980s heritage by reviving iconic products and ads from our vault and pulling them into the ‘Upside Down.’ Just like the heroes of Stranger Things, Gatorade powers those who push limits and face the unknown.”
Campaign Launch and Market Strategy
Launching on Monday, November 3, at 1 pm ET, the “No Ordinary Athlete” campaign represents a comprehensive marketing activation that extends far beyond traditional product placement. The collaboration includes multiple touchpoints designed to maximize brand exposure and consumer engagement across various demographics.
The campaign’s centerpiece is a 30-second hero spot narrated by Gatorade roster athlete and Stranger Things superfan Myles Garrett, who serves as the perfect bridge between sports performance and pop culture entertainment.
“As a huge Stranger Things fan, being able to bring what I do on the field and apply it to the ‘No Ordinary Athlete’ campaign has been an incredible experience, and doing it with Gatorade made it even better,” said Myles Garrett, Gatorade Athlete & Cleveland Browns All-Pro Defensive End. “I can’t wait for fans of Gatorade and Stranger Things to see the show and the campaign – it’s definitely something special.”
Product Innovation: The Return of Citrus Cooler
The return of Citrus Cooler represents more than just a nostalgic throwback: it’s a strategic product launch that addresses consumer demand for discontinued flavors. Originally introduced in 1987, Citrus Cooler became a cult favorite among sports drink enthusiasts before being discontinued, making its revival a significant moment for both the brand and its loyal fanbase.
The limited-time offering features retro Gatorade custom labels that transport consumers back to 1987, complete with authentic 1980s design elements. This attention to period-appropriate packaging demonstrates how food and beverage companies can create immersive brand experiences that extend beyond taste alone.
Collectible Character Editions Drive Consumer Engagement
Understanding the collector market’s power, Gatorade is releasing five collectible bottles featuring main characters from Stranger Things: Eleven, Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin. Each bottle includes special character profiles on the label, creating additional value for consumers and encouraging multiple purchases.
The collectible strategy represents a sophisticated approach to limited-edition marketing that has become increasingly popular across the food and beverage industry. By creating scarcity and collectibility, brands can drive impulse purchases and create secondary market value that extends the campaign’s lifespan.
The Upside Down Innovation
Perhaps the most creative element of the collaboration is the introduction of an “Upside Down” Citrus Cooler edition: a completely unique variant that plays directly into the show’s supernatural themes. This product innovation showcases how beverage companies can create new flavor profiles while maintaining connection to existing products.
The Upside Down edition features inverted labeling and represents an entirely different flavor experience, demonstrating how strategic partnerships can drive genuine product innovation rather than simple co-branding exercises.
Nationwide Distribution and Retail Strategy
The limited-edition Gatorade Citrus Cooler and Upside Down Citrus Cooler bottles are available at retailers nationwide, representing a significant distribution commitment that extends beyond specialty or limited-market releases. This nationwide availability ensures maximum market penetration while maintaining the limited-time urgency that drives consumer action.
For foodservice professionals and institutional buyers, understanding these distribution strategies provides valuable insights into how major beverage brands manage limited-edition launches while ensuring broad market accessibility.
Comprehensive Marketing Activation
The campaign extends far beyond product launches, incorporating impactful out-of-home advertising takeovers across major markets including Times Square (NYC), Sunset Boulevard (LA), and Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland: home to campaign spokesperson Myles Garrett. This multi-market approach ensures maximum visibility among diverse consumer bases.
Limited-Edition Merchandise Strategy
The collaboration includes two limited-edition capsules: the ‘1987 Hawkins Capsule’ and ‘Upside Down Capsule’: featuring Stranger Things-inspired merchandise including vintage apparel, ’80s-inspired Gatorade towels, and collectible shippers. This merchandise strategy creates additional revenue streams while extending brand engagement beyond consumable products.
For food and beverage industry professionals, these merchandise extensions demonstrate how brands can create comprehensive lifestyle experiences that transcend traditional product categories.
Industry Implications and Trends
This collaboration represents several key trends shaping the food and beverage industry:
Nostalgia Marketing: The strategic use of discontinued products to generate consumer excitement and media coverage.
Entertainment Partnerships: The growing importance of entertainment tie-ins for beverage brands seeking to reach younger demographics.
Limited-Edition Strategy: The use of scarcity and collectibility to drive sales and create social media buzz.
Multi-Channel Activation: Comprehensive campaigns that integrate product launches, advertising, merchandising, and experiential marketing.
Looking Forward: The Future of Beverage Collaborations
As entertainment properties continue to influence consumer behavior, food and beverage companies must consider how strategic partnerships can enhance their marketing effectiveness while driving genuine product innovation. The Gatorade and Stranger Things collaboration sets a new standard for how beverage brands can leverage pop culture partnerships to create memorable consumer experiences.
The success of this campaign will likely influence future collaborations across the food and beverage industry, demonstrating the value of combining nostalgic product revivals with strategic entertainment partnerships. For industry professionals, monitoring consumer response to these integrated campaigns provides valuable insights into evolving marketing strategies and consumer preferences.
The “No Ordinary Athlete” campaign represents more than a simple product launch: it’s a comprehensive brand experience that combines product innovation, strategic partnerships, and sophisticated marketing activation to create lasting consumer engagement in the competitive sports drink market.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
