Not to undersell it, but Stranger Things Season 3 was kind of a big deal. The world couldn't wait to return to Hawkins alongside Eleven, Hopper, Mike, and the rest of the gang. We leaned into this worldwide anticipation and created an integrated partnership campaign between Netflix and Microsoft to increase shared brand love, drive social engagement, and make Windows part of the pop culture conversation. We leveraged shared values and a familiar insight to pay off Microsoft’s mission of empowerment through technology and deliver a ton of custom, unique content that Stranger Things and Microsoft fans would love.

A strange trip back in time.

Stranger Things Season 3 takes place in 1985—the same year Microsoft released the original Windows. We teased the partnership campaign by taking Windows social channels back to 1985, with nostalgic content we knew fans would love. Then, we invoked a spirit of discovery and intrigue with Microsoft and Stranger Things fan bases by turning Microsoft's social channels strange.

The way, way back machine.

We took Microsoft's and Windows' social pages back a few decades. Sleek laptops were replaced with boxy PCs and CRT monitors. 4K widescreen displays? Try 900x600. Business casual workwear? Sure, so long as it's  pressed, cuffed, collared and paired with a tie and coat. Everything--and everyone--were retrofied in celebration of going back to the 80s with Stranger Things Season Three.

Retro Windows for the modern fan.

After building the hype on social media, we delivered in a totally tubular fashion, partnering with a development team to create a strange re-release of the original Windows: Windows 1.11. Featuring throwback Microsoft technology, retro games and graphics, unique content, and more, it combined everything fans love about Stranger Things with everything they love about Windows. We also created throwback kits for influencers and had them help spread the word.