Stranger Things: Unlocking the Upside Down
Driving Engagement with a Stranger Things Treasure Hunt on Oxford Street
Stranger Things took over Oxford Street with an immersive, high-energy treasure hunt designed to supercharge fan engagement and create real-world buzz.
Leveraging two custom mystery-prize vending machines, one in HMV Oxford Street and another in the O2 Mobile store on Tottenham Court Road. We transformed the high street into a playful, multi-location activation. Fans travelled between stores to unlock exclusive rewards, driving footfall, social sharing, and excitement as they uncovered surprises straight from the Upside Down.
7 Days
2 Locations
2,919 Treasures Collected
Engagement and Impact
The activation delivered impressive engagement across both locations, with the two Mystery Vending Machines generating a combined 3,000 uses throughout the campaign. The fans traveled eagerly between HMV and O2 to unlock their prizes, creating a steady flow of footfall and sustained in-store energy. The experience quickly spilled onto social media, with multiple user posts, videos, and reactions amplifying the campaign far beyond Oxford Street. This organic sharing helped fuel wider cultural buzz and contributed to the growing anticipation surrounding the final season of Stranger Things, proving how playful, real-world interactions drive fandom excitement.
Insights
The activation was a huge success. Positioning the machines in two high-traffic locations for seven days maximised visibility and encouraged repeat visits from fans looking to collect more prizes. The format perfectly balanced fun, curiosity, and interaction-driving consistent footfall, boosting cross-store movement, and sustaining engagement throughout the week. All in all, the two-machine setup showed how simple, playful mechanics can have real cultural impact and keep audiences coming back for more.
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