Highlights
- Chupa Chups is teaming up with one of Netflix’s top streamed shows, Stranger Things, this September
- Two different pack sizes filled with nine mystery flavours are inspired by the characters and eerie world of Hawkins
- £1.3million campaign to drive awareness and boost sales kick-starts 1 September
Lollipop brand Chupa Chups is flipping into the Upside Down with its latest collaboration. Teaming up with one of Netflix’s top streamed shows, Stranger Things, this September, the £18million brand will unveil two brand new SKUs ahead of Halloween and the final instalment of the much-loved series.
Available in two different pack sizes, the bags are filled with nine mystery flavours inspired by the famed characters and eerie world of Hawkins. One pack reflects the familiar reality of the town, while the other flips things upside down – much like the Chupa Chups logo – inspired by the show’s dark parallel dimension. Named after characters and other fan-favourite, standout moments from the series, the secret flavours can only be revealed upon tasting adding an extra moment of delight. The eye-catching packs are set to stand-out on shelf and complement the existing best-selling range.
The new products performed well in recent consumer testing, with positive feedback around the packaging and themed flavours. Each pack also features a QR code linking through to a digital experience with some incredible competition opportunities and epic adventures.
To mark its biggest launch of the year, Chupa Chups is investing £1.3million in a campaign to drive awareness and boost sales. Kick-starting on 1 September, grocery outlets will see a raft of shopper and POS materials designed to create theatre in store, with an OOH campaign planned to deliver six sheets within close proximity to major outlets. Social media content is also set to light-up TikTok and Instagram, driving awareness for the core Gen Z audience.
Further experiential activity at Thorpe Park’s Fright Night events will further propel the product into the mainstream ahead of the busiest sales period of the year for confectionery; Halloween.
“This is a dream collaboration for us,” said Kim McMahon, Brand Manager for Chupa Chups at Perfetti Van Melle. “At its heart, Stranger Things is about ordinary moments turning into epic adventures, and at Chupa Chups we believe in finding joy and spontaneity in the little things, we stand for carefree fun, anytime, anywhere. We believe this collaboration with Stranger Things allows us to excite our existing audience with new flavours, but also recruit new shoppers to the category in time for Halloween and Christmas. The mystery flavours inject even more excitement into the lollipop experience. We’re working hard to help retailers make the most of the new products in-store and can confirm that the product line will carry through until 2026, where we expect to see continued momentum for the show.”
Stranger Things 5 will release on Netflix across three premiere dates with Volume 1 on 27 November (four episodes), Volume 2 on 26 December (three episodes) with The Finale on 1 January. Each volume releases at 1AM GMT.