Netflix Stranger Things Returns and Takes an Entire Milan Piazza Back to the 80s

On Friday, Stranger Things returned to Netflix for season 4 of the supernatural hit series set in the 1980s. 

For the Italian launch, independent creative network DUDE created a 3 day immersive launch experience by taking one of the most iconic city landmarks, Piazza del Duomo – home of the Duomo gothic cathedral – back to the 80s and bringing together Milanese nostalgia with the quintessential world of Stranger Things.

The activation kicked off on Thursday evening with a massive projection mapping on the facade of Palazzo Carminati – the historical building in front of the Dome – during a special preview of season 4 episode one. 

The iconic Upside Down rift opened up on the building revealing some scenes from the series and culminating with a cryptic message that promised to bring back Milan from 2022 to 1986.

The Milanese went to sleep and woke up the next day in the 1980s, for as the city slept, the entire Piazza was turned back in time to the decade which saw Milan thrive, the decade which put the city on the map, and when it became one of the world’s fashion and design capitals. The city woke to find Piazza Duomo adorned with famous advertising banners reminiscent of the Milanese 80s with vintage brands such as Polaroid and Coca Cola, along with some brands from the fictional world of the show, such as the Hawkins Post or Surfer Boy Pizza. The rest of the square featured an immersive take-over that offered citizens a nostalgic trip: groups of rockers and 80s hipsters roamed the square, past editions of national newspapers and magazines were available to read at a newstand, a roller disco for passersby to try and much more. The nostalgia overload was of course injected with Stranger Things vibes and icons: the fictional fast-food restaurant, Surfer Boy Pizza, heavily featured in the show, had its own stand in the square next to an original vintage Milanese bus that offered an on-board trip into the famous Upside Down.

Davide Labò, Creative Director, DUDE said: “When you work on such an iconic show as Stranger Things is, you always need to go big. Not only in terms of creative idea, but also when it comes to creative execution. Stranger Duomo is a great example of teamwork, where everyone involved – from Netflix to the production teams – aimed to do something memorable”

Lua Riva, Creative Director, DUDE added: We’re very happy that this big idea means taking Milan back in the 80s through a physical and immersive activation, especially after the past couple of years of not being able to do activations like these”.

Credits

Chief Creative Officers & Partners: Livio Basoli & Lorenzo Picchiotti

Creative Directors: Davide Labò & Luca Riva

Senior Copywriter: Cecilia Rocchetta

Art Director: Giovanna Mocchetti

Junior Copywriter: Tommaso Spada

Junior Art Director: Oscar Frizzi

Head of Content: Ludovica D’Aquino

Social Media Creative: Alessandro Magnani

Social Art Director: Luca Poldelmengo

Social Copywriter: Elisabetta Cavanna

Design Director: Alessio Salatino

Graphic Designer: Niccolò Campanini

Event Copywriter: Tania Loschi

Event Art Director: Paolo Vendramini

Digital PR Manager: Vittoria Caron

Strategy Director: Marco Mammino

Social Media Strategist: Elisa Fiorentini

Client Director: Elena Panza

Account Director: Piera Colasante

Account Manager: Giulia Visconti

EVENT

Head of events and special project: Laura Boy

Project Manager: Cristina Fichera

Production Director:

Alessandro Spinelli

Matteo Stopper

Executive Producer:Giorgio Zattoni

Producer assistant:

Beatrice Latini

Martina Augelli

Technical partners D&D International Group

VIDEO

Integrated Production Director: Matteo Pecorari

Senior Producer: Maria Chiara Muglia

Producer: Valeria Mazzotta

Producer: Camilla Romeo

Junior Producer: Giovanna Di Stefano

Head Of Physical Production: Simone Raddi

Junior Production Coordinator: Francesca Di Donna

Post Production Supervisor: Seba Morando

Post Producer: Miriam Ottina

Video Editor: Gian Luca Elasti

Video Editor assistant: Valentina Renna, Diego Gonzalez

Motion Graphic: Gabriele Frigimelica

Director: Alessandro Best

Source: DUDE

  Davide Labò, DUDE, Lua Riva, Netflix, Stranger Things