New Coke Making a Brief Comeback with Stranger Things Partnership

Variety is reporting that Coca-Cola will be reviving New Coke for a brief comeback as part of their partnership with Netflix’s Stranger Things. Season 3 of the series will include New Coke in select episodes, prompting Netflix to reach out to Coca-Cola about the new promotion. You can check out the company’s Stranger Things Season 3 Coke ad in the player below!

“This is uncharted territory for us,” says Geoff Cottrill, senior vice president of strategic marketing for Coca-Cola North America. “We want to look for ways to work with Netflix, but only in ways that don’t interrupt consumers, and don’t get in the way of the entertainment. If we can find ways to integrate authentically and add value to the experience, then we want to be a part of it.”

New Coke launched in 1985 but didn’t last long on the shelves (only 79 days) as customers weren’t drawn to the sweeter version of the iconic drink. The company thinks consumers will have a new take on the beverage this time around, though. The streaming giant and Coca-Cola have been working on the promotion for about 18 months, requiring plenty of research and work.

Approximately 500,000 cans of New Coke will be made available to the public. Consumers will have the chance to buy it online as part of a package at CokeStore.com/1985, or at the company’s World of Coca-Cola the week of June 3 on select days. The company will also unveil limited-edition packages of original Coke with Stranger Things designs, as well as launching an ad in movie theaters. The ad, directed by the Duffer Brothers, is a remake of the original 1985 ad for New Coke.

Stranger Things Season 3 stars Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, David Harbour as Chief Jim Hopper, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Dacre Montgomery as Billy, Sadie Sink as Max, Maya Thurman-Hawke as Robin, Jake Busey as Bruce, Francesca Reale as Heather, and Cary Elwes as Mayor Kline.

The series was created by The Duffer Brothers, who also serve as executive producers and directors along with Shawn Levy (who also directs), Dan Cohen and Iain Patterson. Stranger Things is a Netflix production.

Stranger Things received 18 Emmy nominations last year (with five wins) and was honored with the 2017 SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, as well as the 2017 Norman Felton Producer of the Year Award in Episodic Television — Drama from the Producers Guild of America.

Season 3 will be available for streaming on July 4.