Doritos: Telethon for Hawkins

One Full Year of Nostalgia

The campaign’s success was measured by deep, active participation rather than simple impressions. Fans dialed into the hotline to hear messages from David Hasselhoff and Paula Abdul, who were digitally de-aged to match their 1987 personas. The engagement was staggering: the hotline logged 400,000 calls and 68,000 voicemails. Collectively, fans spent 365 days of cumulative time interacting with the content, proving that the audience was willing to treat the fictional crisis in Hawkins as a genuine civic duty. This high-touch interaction directly fueled retail performance, pushing the campaign to exceed its sales objectives by 113%.

Crafting the 1987 Aesthetic

To achieve the authentic lo-fi look of an 80s broadcast, the production team utilized period-accurate camera equipment and lighting techniques. The creative team at Goodby Silverstein & Partners worked closely with UEG Worldwide to secure talent who could authentically inhabit the era. By blending the high-stakes drama of *Stranger Things* with the campy, earnest tone of a classic telethon, the agency successfully turned a snack brand into a narrative partner. The production relied on a mix of practical sets and subtle digital enhancements to maintain the illusion that the telethon was a live, analog broadcast happening in real time.

A Masterclass in Fan Integration

The campaign functioned as an alternate reality game, rewarding those who engaged with the hotline with hidden lore and show-related Easter eggs. By positioning Doritos as the official sponsor of the "Save Hawkins" effort, the brand became a central pillar of the show's final season marketing ecosystem. This strategy moved beyond traditional product placement, embedding the brand into the cultural conversation surrounding the series finale.