How we brought Milan Upside Down taking Piazza Duomo back in 1986 for Stranger Things 4 Italian launch.
On May 26th Stranger Things fans were invited to an exclusive premiere of the first episode of season 4 in Piazza Duomo, the most famous place in Milan. During the screening, something really strange happened: an enormous rift appeared on the facade of Palazzo Carminati, the historic building in front of the Dome. Now that the gate is open, we were ready to announce an unexpected jump back in time to take the city center in 1986.
On May 27th, Milan literally awoke in 1986. An entire takeover of the square, with some Stranger Things easter eggs and a touch of Upside Down.
We reopened an old milanese newsstand, which informed people about the events that took place the night before in Piazza Duomo, thanks to the freshest news reported by the Hawkins Post.
80s yellow taxis came back beside the square, exactly where they belonged in that period when cars could ride across the Duomo, but this time with a particular car license plate.
In the 80s in Milan, there were also many unforgettable brand signs on Palazzo Carminati facade. And we brought them back too, displaying some real brands - like Burghy, a popular 80s fast food that no longer exists - and others which belong to the Stranger Things 4 world.
The Italian 80s were also made by its people: there was a particular group of people who dominated the streets in those years, called “Paninari”. They were obsessed with fashion and American food. The iconicity around this crew encouraged visitors to take a lot of photos with them and to conquer a special edition of the Paninaro magazine - a very popular issue of the 80s dedicated to them and their lifestyle. So, everyone was able to take a real piece of 1986 home.
We literally carried Rink-O-Mania from California and we gave people the opportunity to skate with some professional roller-skaters, listening to the best 80s hits.
Just like Mike and Eleven did in season 4.
Another brand delivered hot right from California is Surfer Boy Pizza. The best meeting point for our paninari and for all the people who love fast food. Not even the hottest day on earth could stop fans from queuing hours to win fantastic gadgets inspired by the TV series.
Since it’s not Stranger until there is some supernatural interference, we gave people the chance to enter in an 80s old bus through a creepy gate and find themselves in the Upside Down.
During the Stranger Things 4 debut week, we also conquered Rome, and more specifically, the Trevi Fountain. We rewrote in a Stranger way a famous quote from the Italian movie “Viaggi di nozze”, directed and interpreted by Carlo Verdone that played the role of Ivano who speaks in Roman dialect, and we’ve displayed it on the special Netflix billboard in front of the fountain.
Then, to announce it we realized a crossover content with the actress Claudia Gerini (who played Ivano’s wife in the movie) and we posted on Netflix Italia, breaking the internet.
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
Head of events and special project: Laura Boy
Project Manager: Cristina Fichera
Production Director: Alessandro Spinelli; Matteo Stopper
Executive Producer: Giorgio Zattoni
Producer assistant: Martina Augelli; Beatrice Latini
Technical partners: D&D International Group; Resolute
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
