Nike is bringing some serious 1980s nostalgia with a line of shoes and clothing inspired by season 3 of Stranger Things. Netflix is taking us back to Hawkins, Indiana to catch up with Eleven and company for the third season of Stranger Things, which will be set in the summer of 1985, leaving Halloween behind at least for one season.
Season 3 takes place less than a year after the events of season 2, and as chill and fun as things might look for the gang - with a brand new mall and new characters - new threats will come to remind them all that evil is still there. With just a couple more weeks to go before the season premieres, Netflix’s marketing campaign has begun, and Nike has now jumped on the train.
Via CBR, Nike has joined forces with Stranger Things to bring a line of shoes and clothing that will take fans back to the 1980s. For the sneaker enthusiasts, Nike is bringing a retro look to the Cortez, Blazer, and Tailwind shoes with two packs: The Hawkins High pack and The OG pack. The first one is inspired by the color scheme of Hawkins High (green, orange, and white) as well as its tiger mascot, with the sweat suits and t-shirts channeling the vibe of phys-ed classes of the 1980s. This pack will be out on June 27.
The OG pack celebrates Independence Day with a red, white, and blue color scheme, with the shoes carrying a year marker on the heel and special firework display sock liner. Per Nike, they want to highlight the state of basketball in 1985, sharing that in that year “pro basketball was swinging firmly into its showtime era” and that it “was the year visible Air began to take shape”. This pack will arrive on July 1.
Stranger Things has been bringing back elements from the 1980s for their marketing campaigns for a while now, most notably with the 8-bit game released prior to the debut of season 2. This time, brands like Burger King and Coca-Cola have taken part with products and ads – on-brand with the new Starcourt Mall in Hawkins, which will be an important location this season.
Stranger Things season 3 is set in the summer, but that doesn’t mean we can’t meet the characters at a friendly basketball game - as Nike fits the vibe that Netflix has been going for so far. We might have to keep our eyes open at all times to see if the characters are wearing some retro gear from Nike, and other brands as well.
Stranger Things season 3 premieres Thursday, July 4 on Netflix.