Gatorade, together with TBWA\Chiat\Day LA, has unveiled its latest campaign, “No Ordinary Athlete,” just in time for the highly anticipated fifth season of Stranger Things. The new creative pays homage to Gatorade’s legendary 1987 “No Ordinary Thirst Quencher” campaign, this time reimagined through the eerie, supernatural lens of the Upside Down.
Narrated by Myles Garrett, a Gatorade athlete and devoted Stranger Things fan, the campaign blends nostalgia with modern storytelling. The 30-second film opens on a nostalgic note in Hawkins, where a young basketball player grabs a glass bottle of Gatorade mid-game as the familiar “No Ordinary Thirst Quencher” jingle hums in the background. Just as he leaps for the ball, the bright gym morphs into its dark, otherworldly mirror, the Upside Down, capturing the intensity and mental strain of competition.
Beyond the main film, the “No Ordinary Athlete” campaign is rolling out large-scale out-of-home installations across New York City, Los Angeles, and Cleveland, Ohio, a nod to Garrett’s home turf with the Cleveland Browns, bringing the eerie energy of Hawkins to life in major urban settings.
The activation continues online with two exclusive capsule collections available on Gatorade.com: the 1987 Hawkins Capsule and the Upside Down Capsule. Each features vintage-inspired apparel, towels, and other branded gear that merge the brand’s athletic legacy with Stranger Things’ nostalgic aesthetic.
To complete the throwback, Gatorade has revived its fan-favorite Citrus Cooler flavor, originally launched in 1988. The comeback includes five limited-edition collectible bottles featuring retro packaging and a special Upside Down variant, available at retailers nationwide, blending 1980s nostalgia, modern fandom, and the timeless spirit of extraordinary performance.
“For over 60 years, Gatorade, the OG sports drink, has fueled the world’s greatest athletes,” the brand’s SVP of marketing, Anuj Bhasin, said in a statement. “The Gatorade Stranger Things 5 collaboration celebrates our authentic 1980s heritage by reviving iconic products and ads from our vault and pulling them into the ‘Upside Down.'”
Since its debut nearly ten years ago, Stranger Things has become a go-to platform for legacy brands tapping into its nostalgic ’80s setting and cinematic storytelling. As Netflix expands its advertising ambitions, partnerships have grown in scale and creativity, with Target, Doritos, and Chips Ahoy joining Gatorade in rolling out major campaigns tied to the show’s final season. The trend reflects a broader resurgence of nostalgia-driven marketing across the CPG sector, as brands like Welch’s, Pringles, and Sprite revive classic taglines and mascots to resonate with Gen Z and millennial audiences.
