Netflix's 'Stranger Things' Packaging Entices Consumers to Buy DVDs Because … Nostalgia
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You know what I love? Riding my bike down to the quarry with my friends on a Friday after school, playing D&D until all hours of the night, wondering what could be going on at the local Laboratory and occasionally fighting an evil Demogorgon-like creature from the Upside Down. Or maybe I'm just confusing my life with that of the cast of "Stranger Things."
If you've watched Netflix's "Stranger Things," you'll know exactly what I'm talking about, if not, I suggest you watch it … stat! The show has garnered the attention of fans of many generations and has developed a cult following. The second season of the hit show was just released last week and shortly before its release, the first season was released on DVD, exclusively from Target.
Credit: Target by Target
Some have been asking the question, like this Reddit user mentioned in an article from Newsweek, why would a streaming service need to release physical copies of a show? Well, there's something interesting about the packaging for the release that might hint at the motive: it looks like a worn-out VHS, something you might find in the bargain bin at your local movie store, complete with a sticker price of $3 and the unforgettable "VHS | hi-fi" logo in the lower right corner. From the product shots on Target's website, it looks like inside the outer box consumers will find what looks like a VHS tape containing the DVD discs. The packaging doesn't seem to miss a detail.
For those of you who haven't seen the show, it's riddled with '80s-inspired nostalgia. Everything harkens back to the glorious decade of big hair, from synth music to potentially dangerous pudding packs. For fans, the show's dedication to getting the decade right has proven to evoke extreme feelings of the nostalgia. In fact, according to Food & Wine, a scene from the show spurred fans of the show to call Hunt's Snack Packs demanding a rerelease of the vintage packaging (Tasting Table also reported on the demand to bring back the original pudding packs - no reports if the company plans to bring the cans back).
Although it's strange that Netflix has released DVDs, considering the streaming service is a direct threat to the DVD industry, it makes sense for the brand, specifically because of its packaging.
Newsweek pointed out:
Netflix, the studio behind Stranger Things, is the new streaming threat to the DVD industry. DVDs, meanwhile, are the technology that wiped out VHS tapes. But hey, this whole show runs on '80s nostalgia, and what's symbolizes '80s nostalgia better than obsolete electronics?
Image from Frankenstein4eva
Super fans of the show can watch it any time they want on Netflix, and yet, many will probably still be at least tempted to pick up the DVDs because of the well-branded packaging. Movie review site, JoBLO, even posted an article earlier in October expressing excitement over the possibility of a "Stranger Things" DVD release in what was described as "sweet looking" packaging.
Image from Frankenstein4eva
Packaging Perspective: The excitement over this product may indicate that regardless of the relevance of the product itself, if the packaging can serve as its own "product," it might prove to be successful. People are going to buy these DVDs, even if they have 24/7 access to the entire series on their Netflix account. Fans on social media have even posted about the DVD release and its unique packaging, such as Frankenstein4eva's post on Instagram.
Ashley Roberts is the Managing Editor of the Printing & Packaging Group.
