Now that it’s October, we can all agree it’s officially fall (even though it may not feel like it yet). Fall is a very exciting time of year! For many, it means the return of the pumpkin spice latte. For others, it provides a chance to bundle up in sweaters (but not in Wilmington, NC, folks!). Holiday season is right around the corner, and companies are beginning to put out decorations. Television becomes more exciting as well, with new shows and new seasons of our old favorites coming back on the air.
Many long-awaited favorites are coming back to TV and to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. One eagerly anticipated show to return is Stranger Things. The first season was a huge success last year, and the second is planned to arrive on Netflix October 27.
During the Super Bowl, Eggo partnered with Netflix to market the second season of Stranger Things. Viewers watched an old commercial for Eggos and were then interrupted by a commercial for the upcoming season. The reactions the ad received were all positive, and Eggo couldn’t resist getting in on the Twitter replies.
Another much anticipated show for the fall was American Horror Story: Cult. This series, now well into its 7th season on FX, has a mass following and sure knows how to hype up a crowd. As many details as possible are held from the public until the release date of the show. Intriguing images are released to get people talking about what this season could entail.
Concern about the photos released for Cult flooded the internet. Did the creators of the show finally take it too far? These images were upsetting to some people with trypophobia, the fear of holes. People took to Twitter to complain about the ads that were being posted.
There were many complaints and negativity surrounding the ads, but from a marketing perspective, this campaign was pure gold. People were talking about it nonstop, sharing their images, and getting the word out about the upcoming season (and all for free!).
Whether you watch AHS and Stranger Things or not, this is the season of new TV releases, and there will be something for everyone! Keep an eye out for your favorite show to make its way back to television!
-Lauren Arsena
IMC Hawks Blog 
It’s always interesting when movies and TV are able to seamlessly integrate product placement into their programs; Stranger Things is a great modern example (and I’m definitely looking forward to season two!) Eleven’s fascination with Eggos definitely evokes the imagery of E.T.’s obsession with Reese’s Pieces, which was another classic example of “subtle” product placement (and was likely a deliberate homage, on account of Stranger Thing’s reverential attitude towards pop culture of the 1980’s.)
Not only am I thrilled for the new season of Stranger Things, but I also think that their campaign was very effective. Since they are taking a while to release the new season anticipation keeps building. Once the first trailer came out I remember tagging all of my friends and sending the link to others to spread the word. Here’s to hoping the second season is as good as the first!!
I liked this article because I also love netflix shows. I am very excited for season 2 of stranger things and will check out some of the other shows mentioned in this article.
I wonder what it is about the fall and halloween time that TV just seems to get more exciting? Maybe its the thriller aspect of it all and that people unconsciously are craving some excitement as the cooler weather creeps in. I have always seen the AHS promos start up around this time and the advertisements of this program always seem very far in advance, but I wonder what Netflix does to advertise there original shows? The super bowl add was very effective but that the only thing I’ve seen about it. Maybe they just want the anticipation to build up. Thanks for your work!