Stranger Things - Nostalgia and Intertextuality

Nostalgia/intertextuality- production/marketing 

Nostalgia marketing: 

• A study conducted by the Journal of Consumer research found that people spend more money when they feel nostalgic 
• So more brands use nostalgia marketing 
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELFZARNWBJY
• https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jul/09/the-ghostbusters-reboot-and-nostalgia-in-pop-culture

Millennial Pull: 

• Stranger Things revived a plethora of nostalgic memories, but with a fresh storytelling to make it interesting for a younger generation 

Power childhood and toys 

• ST uses the children to defeat the Demogorgon-instead of the kids killing it despite the fact they're kids, they can do it because they're kids 
• All the characters use toys to defeat it- e.g. walkie talkies, baseball bats 
• The only way the Upside Down can be explained is through the use of the Dungeons and Dragons game 
• Joyce goes insane since she doesn't have D&D to explain to the other adults 
• Mr Clarke has links to toys (The walkie talkies/D&D) and so understands faster 
• ST is unique since most movies make childhood seem like something that should be sped up/overcome but the series uses it as an advantage 

Intertextuality: 

• Intertextuality is used to make a connection with the audience 
• ST almost copies films such as ET and The Goonies 
• ET was the biggest film of the 80's 
• Uses the characters of The Goonies to create nostalgia 
• Uses the sci-fi from Alien and Firestarter 
• The creatures in the Upside Down= Alien 
• Eleven's powers= Firestarter 
• http://www.vulture.com/2016/07/stranger-things-film-reference-glossary.html

Intertextuality in Distribution 

• Parodies have been made of famous film posters such as Alien, Nightmare on Elm Street 
• Creates nostalgia 

Fandom: 

• Fandom=constituency 
• They often create theories (negotiated meanings) 
• Take parts of ST and make their own products 
• Are essential as part of marketing-fan art, social media etc.