The Brief
Netflix briefed us to: cut through the noise of Christmas releases, deliver a UK-first cultural moment, and reward a decade of loyalty… All in a (30) days work!
This wasn’t for press, this wasn’t for reach, this was purely about meaning and making it rewarding after 10 years of fandom. To feel authentic, not promotional. As well as thanking super fans properly, One Last Adventure helped build genuine anticipation and excitement for the final episodes still yet to air.
Creative Concept
Rather than crafting an ‘event’, we forged a ‘mission’ for fans to sink their teeth into and become Hawkins’ heroes.
The mission started at registration, with fans on a cover code-cracking hunt to ‘win’ tickets. Location, format and details were withheld, causing speculation to spread rife online, with lots of anticipatory chatter happening on TikTok, in particular.
Fans, or, Hawkins’ Heroes for the day, gathered at a riverside meeting point, before taking a boat to the top secret London location. From there, everything was in-world.
Upon disembarking the boat, fans stepped into Mulberry Street, complete with Surfer Boy pizza truck, Family Video, Hawkins police station and fairground-style games such as ring toss.
From there, other show-accurate builds included WSQK Radio (complete with wrapped van), The Snow Ball with music from female dj collective Huns ‘n’ Roses, and a live 80s band playing the show's classics. The Rainbow Room, Scoops Ahoy, Hawkins High, Byer’s living room and Will’s basement.
The Delivery
We had 30 days.
In that time, our creative and design team hatched our plan, and our creative fabrication team built and installed six large-scale set across a hybrid indoor–outdoor site.
All builds had to withstand live crowds, winter conditions, and feature forensic levels of details. Nothing gets past the superfans!
With talent management and show direction by our in-house team, live actors influenced the narrative, with each room offering real-time interaction, whether that was playing Dungeons and Dragons with an in-world character, a frosty encounter with the stern military, or being put to the test - quite literally - in the Rainbow Room. In-world F&B served Surfer Boy Pizza, Scoops Ahoy treats, and cocktails and mocktails at The Snow Ball.
Lighting, sound and AV were fully show-controlled across zones. Guests were issued RFID wristbands on arrival, which were integrated into the show system. As a session came to its close, the story escalated, with sitewide flickering lights, distorted audio, and wristbands pulsing red in sync.
And then… the finale. Searchlights scanned the site, fog pummeled through the sky, and the military ushered out guests for safe containment. Suddenly, the rift tore open above the London skyline, with Vecna appearing, leaving superfans to save Hawkins one last time.
Reset, go again.
The Impact
Almost 30,000 fans registered within hours of the first signal. All four sessions sold out with near 100% attendance.
Social channels were flooded with organic reactions, walkthroughs and emotional posts. Comments called it “the best day of my life,” and one couple, who met through their shared love of the series got engaged on site.
Press coverage followed naturally, but that was never the goal. The real win was fan trust, which was fully earned!
A goodbye done properly.
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