Case Study · Entertainment
Netflix × TfL — Stranger Things
Turned Oxford Circus into The Upside Down — and earned coverage in The Drum & NME.
Client
Netflix × TfL
Industry
Entertainment & Media
Channel
OOH Activation
Role
Ideation · Illustration
The Challenge
Re-light a phenomenon
Ahead of the Halloween release of Stranger Things Season 2, Netflix needed a standout activation: remind existing fans why they fell for the show, and intrigue newcomers enough to start. The objective was cultural impact and reach — the kind of moment people photograph and share — measured in earned media, not ROAS.
The Audience
Superfans and the curious
Two audiences shared one space: the platform of a London Underground station at rush hour.
The superfan
Driver: wants to feel seen by the show they love.
Hook: insider references — The Upside Down, the “Find Barb” movement, the 80s.
Job to be done: a moment worth photographing and sharing.
The curious commuter
Driver: doesn’t watch it — yet.
Hook: the jolt of the everyday commute turning uncanny.
Job to be done: a reason to find out what this is.
The Idea
Make the station the story
A complete takeover of Oxford Circus Underground station, transformed into The Upside Down. Floor-to-ceiling wall wraps, altered station signage, and large-format digital screens playing atmospheric scenes — designed for high dwell time and maximum disruption at peak hours. It synced with Topshop’s concurrent Stranger Things takeover at the flagship above, so fans stepped straight from the Underground into Hawkins. The angles that made it land: a site-driven concept where the environment is the story; 80s nostalgia and “Find Barb” cultural hooks; and the stark contrast of the ordinary commute turning strange.
My Role
From brainstorm to pitch-winning scamps
As part of the agency team, I co-led early ideation, running the brainstorm sessions that generated the activation concepts. I then produced detailed A3 illustrations of the strongest ideas, so the client pitch was both strategically sharp and visually undeniable. The format was static OOH, but it was built to travel — commuters photographed and shared it, extending reach far beyond the station.
The Results
A static OOH placement that behaved like a campaign — its reach multiplied by the people who couldn’t resist sharing it.
Earned media
Coverage in The Drum, NME & more.
Thousands daily
Impressions from high-footfall Oxford Circus.
Organic reach
Fan and passer-by shares well beyond the station.
The Takeaway
When the concept is truly site-driven, the environment becomes part of the narrative. And strong visualisation at the pitch stage is often what gets the ambitious, culturally resonant idea made at all.
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