Taking place in the ’80s, Netflix’s Stranger Things has scratched a nostalgia itch that many viewers have had, reminding us of the music, the outfits, and the popular food items available to residents of Hawkins, Indiana during the decade. The series also saw a boom in popularity for Kellogg’s Eggos, the frozen waffles eaten regularly by Millie Bobby Brown‘s character Eleven. As the series hasn’t seen new episodes since last October, the company notes they’ve seen less interest in the product.
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In May, Kellogg reports that they saw 1.9 percent growth, as compared to the 9.4 percent growth seen in the first four months of the year. The final quarter of 2017 saw growth of 14 percent, which is the quarter where viewers last got new episodes.
“When Eggo waffles became a fixture on the hit show Stranger Things, we quickly leveraged the [resulting] consumer engagement,” chief executive Steven Cahillane shared during a presentation in February, per CNN. “It sparked conversations. And it prompted consumers to reconsider a long-established brand in new and very contemporary ways.”
They added that the appearance in the show added “cultural relevance” to the product that had been on the decline prior to 2016, with the series’ premiere resulting in an immediate boost in popularity.
After Eleven escaped a covert research facility where she was exploited for her telekinetic abilities, a group of local kids took her in to care for her. They fed her Eggos, which she immediately became enamored with. The food product then became intrinsically linked with the character.
In a Super Bowl ad to promote the series’ second season, a vintage Eggo ad was repurposed to convey the tone of the sci-fi show.
To celebrate the show’s return, Eggo released unique recipes to coincide with each episode. Kellogg claims that October of 2017 saw the brand’s most-ever mentions on social media services.
Unfortunately for the frozen food manufacturer, they can expect a long wait before they see a surge in popularity. The third season of the series is filming now and isn’t expected to debut on Netflix until sometime in 2019.
Fans might be disappointed they have to wait so long for new episodes, though, in the meantime, they can expect both Stranger Things books and comic book series to hit shelves in order to tide them over.
The first two seasons of the series are streaming now on Netflix.
Are you surprised to see such a direct connection between the series and Eggos? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!
[H/T CNN]
