ONE SUMMER CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING.

Although the first day of summer doesn’t hit for another couple weeks, it sure felt like the season had officially began the moment this New Coke and Stranger Things 1985 Limited Edition Collectors Pack landed on my doorstep on a sunny late afternoon this week.

As I stood on my porch just about to open the box, the sky became stormy with clouds rolling in, looking very apocalyptic. Then I started to smell raindrops hitting the warm asphalt in the street. Nothing beats that feeling in the air just before a storm breaks.

Now this next part might sound fabricated but I swear to you it’s 100% true. As I cracked open the packaging tape around the box and opened it up, a spider crawled out. Mind you this box was sealed up very tight so I’m pretty sure this spider traveled all this way directly to the TNUC lair…as if he or she was sent for a purpose. If that isn’t some sort of sign from the secret laboratories in Hawkins, Indiana, I don’t know what is.

When Coca-Cola announced in May that the company was bringing back “New Coke” in a partnership with Stranger Things Season 3, my excitement went through the roof because not only do I love the TV series but I cherish a good promotional tie-in and this one makes so much sense. Plus I missed the original launch of New Coke back in 1985 during its three-month lifespan, which means I missed out on tasting the product and witnessing its quick demise.

In case you disciples aren’t up on your soft drink history, in the mid-eighties Coca-Cola sales were rapidly declining due to diet drinks and non-cola beverages being all the rage. Pepsi was on the rise with a majority of people preferring its sweeter taste. So in an effort to mix things up, Coca-Cola experts and researchers developed a new recipe that they predicted would revolutionize the soft drink world. “New Coke” was introduced to the public and became almost an instant failure. People didn’t respond well and the company reintroduced the original recipe within three months.

…Well, that sad story suddenly took a wild turn because 12 oz cans of New Coke are BACK (yes, the original batch) for a limited time available at CokeStore.com/1985. Purchase yours today or regret it for the rest of your life.

GET A LOAD OF THIS GUY. While listening to the latest Purple Stuff Podcast, Uncle T came to find out that “upside-down” Stranger Things-inspired vending machines started popping up in select cities and dispensing free cans! If you can find one of these in a 100 mile radius of your location, GET THERE. Otherwise pick up New Coke at CokeStore.com/1985!

So…how does it taste? TNUC will conduct a full-frontal taste test this week! Stay tuned to the Instagram ♦