Gatorade partners with “Stranger Things” to reboot the 1987 ad
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens | Published: 2025-11-03 22:45:00 | Source: The Blast
Just when fans think “Stranger Things” I couldn’t feel more nostalgic, Gatorade It takes things back to 1987, with a supernatural twist. The iconic sports drink is partnering with Netflix for the show’s fifth and final season, bringing back its legendary “No Ordinary Thirst Quencher” campaign with a Hawkins-approved remix: “No Ordinary Athlete.” The collaboration blends the energy of old-fashioned Gatorade with the signature “Stranger Things” blend of heart, heroism and horror. Designed to fuel the extraordinary, the campaign celebrates the show’s final battle to save Hawkins and the athletes who go beyond the ordinary.
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Taste the Maqlouba: Gatorade’s Legendary Citrus Cooler Returns with a ‘Stranger Things’ Twist
At the heart of the campaign is a fan-favorite product straight from Gatorade’s history: the citrus cooler. Initially launched in the late 1980s, the bold orange flavor returns in limited edition with custom classic packaging and a collectible touch.
Each bottle contains one of five “Stranger Things” characters – Eleven, Mike, Will, Lucas and Dustin – with a special “Upside Down” edition completing the set. The collectible bottles are not only hydrating, but they double as nostalgic mementos for long-time fans of the drink and series.
The limited-edition Citrus Cooler collection is now available at retailers nationwide, giving fans a chance to own a piece of Hawkins history and taste the flavor of the past.
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Gatorade’s new hero site takes “Stranger Things” fans out of the locker room and into the frenzy
The 30-second “No Ordinary Athlete” film will be released on November 3, bringing the partnership to life with a cinematic twist. Narrated by Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett, a true “Stranger Things” fan, the ad combines athletic grit with sci-fi energy, illustrating how Gatorade empowers those who push boundaries, even when faced with the unknown.
From the gym floors to the eerie glow of the Upside Down, this venue celebrates exceptional design, on and off the field. Fans can watch the ad across digital and social channels starting this week.
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Gatorade is taking over Times Square and Sunset Boulevard with a Hawkins-sized nostalgia hit
To make sure fans feel the full force of nostalgia, Gatorade is also organizing massive OOH takeovers in Times Square, Sunset Boulevard, and Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, home of Garrett himself. The bold displays combine Hawkins-inspired visuals with the brand’s retro 1987 aesthetic, creating the ultimate collision of old-school athletic energy and supernatural thrills.
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Gatorade’s new “Inverted Pod” is the throwback pod fans never knew they needed
As if the collaboration needed any more flair, Gatorade is also launching two limited-edition capsules, the “1987 Hawkins Capsule” and the “Upside Down Capsule.” Each includes Stranger Things-inspired clothing, vintage-style Gatorade towels, collectible chargers, and throwback accessories that look like they’re straight out of Hawkins High. Together, Drops of Clothes and Drink build a bridge between eras, a love letter to the days of gangsters, mixtapes and monster hunting.
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“For more than 60 years, Gatorade, the OG sports drink, has been fueling the world’s greatest athletes,” said Anuj Bhasin, senior vice president of marketing at Gatorade. “Now in 1987 Hawkins, the crew prepares for the ultimate battle with Gatorade, choosing no ordinary beverage to quench their thirst to fuel the extraordinary. This collaboration celebrates our authentic ’80s heritage by reviving iconic products and ads from our vault and pulling them over to the upside-down side.”
Gatorade promotes Hawkins’ final fight with the release of “No Ordinary Athlete.”
The Stranger Things x Gatorade “No Ordinary Athlete” campaign officially launched on November 3, with limited-edition Citrus Cooler bottles available nationwide. Fans can join the celebration, collect the six bottles and fuel their inner Hawkins hero, because in this final chapter, saving the world starts with staying hydrated.
The countdown to the end has officially begun. The fifth and final season of Stranger Things will be revealed in three parts, with Volume One arriving on November 26, 2025, Volume Two dropping on December 25, 2025, and the series finale concluding on December 31, 2025.
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Filming wrapped in December 2024 after a year of production delays due to Hollywood strikes. The story begins in the fall of 1987, with Eleven, Mike, Will, Lucas and Dustin joining forces on a final mission to find and destroy Vecna, who disappeared after the Battle of Hawkins. Meanwhile, the government has quarantined the city and is hunting down Eleven.
(tags for translation) Stranger Things
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