Google goes upside down for global Stranger Things rollout

Riding on the Stranger Things frenzy, Netflix has teamed up with Google to flip search results upside down for queries related to the series, marking the release of the latest season in a playful nod to the show's iconic "Upside down" world.

As excitement builds for Season 5 Part 1, which premiered on Netflix on 26 November 2025, fans searching for the show were met with a playful surprise: Google’s results page flipped into a stylised “Upside Down” homage, mirroring the show’s eerie parallel universe.

The animated effect, noticed by many users, added a fun twist to the buzz surrounding the final season. Typing “Stranger Things” into Google reveals a small, numbered ball on the screen—clicking it triggers a swirling animation that transforms the page into a shadowy, particle-filled version of itself.

All the text and visuals below the search bar and category tabs appear flipped upside down, accompanied by a bright red "X" at the bottom that allows users to revert the page back to normal.

Apart from the Easter Egg, Google has also rolled out a YouTube video revealing what Stranger Things fans around the globe have been searching for things not of this world. "From the secrets of the Upside Down to the mysteries of Hawkins to all interdimensional questions in between. One last adventure, a lot of questions."

The video has drawn 12 million views, with some netizens saying they love how the ad empowers content creators, while some were touched by the nostalgia shown in the video. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Google for more information. 

Beyond the above the line initiative, Netflix amplified its promotional push across Asia with a slate of brand collaborations. In Hong Kong, local streetwear and lifestyle brand 8 Degree North launched a Stranger Things-inspired pop-up store, inviting fans to step into the show’s iconic fantastical universe.

While in Malaysia, Nestlé Ice Cream launched a limited-edition 'DRUMSTICK Stranger Things ice cream', a collaboration designed to ignite fandom excitement while driving seasonal buzz in the snacking category.

Meanwhile, KFC’s Stranger Things collaboration also hit Australian screens and restaurants in December 2025, with the brand’s Hawkins Fried Chicken platform now running across Australia, South Korea and the UK as part of Netflix’s global rollout for the show’s final season.

The Australian leg included a two-day “subterranean KFC” pop-up inside Sydney’s abandoned Wynyard Tunnels, recreating an ’80s Hawkins diner and giving fans an early taste of the new Upside Down Double. The activation ran ahead of the product’s nationwide launch on 2 December.

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