Is old becoming new again? How your brand can optimise nostalgia:

The Newer Brand

Whilst it is easy to dismiss this as something only mainstream, century-old brands can do, newer or more niche brands can take advantage too, it just might have to look a little different.

Instead of repeating the past, brands must reinterpret it in ways that resonate with today’s audiences. The creative aspect is in how to translate it to approach the modern audience. This could mean reimagining once-niche memories in a way that speaks to a broader, more diverse audience, and it must be executed with care – anything less than risks feeling inauthentic.

Profiting from Nostalgia

There are opportunities for collaboration between the older and the newer. This can allow newer brands to profit from the heritage of established ones, whilst the older brands can gain relevance from the younger, more digitally knowledgeable names.

Even collaborations between two heritage brands can create fresh, credible products and allow a brand to enter a different culture or market. Unlike other partnerships, nostalgic partnerships tap into deeper emotional connections, often sparking more powerful consumer responses.

Alternatively, a brand can use rituals to evoke strong emotional responses. Christmas adverts by companies like John Lewis are a fitting example of this, with clips of holiday baking and family celebrations making the product stay with the consumer after the advert has left their screen and often resulting in discussions with others.

Brands that understand their audience can also tap into the feelings behind nostalgia: the desire for innocence, simplicity, and community.

Understanding your audience also ensures understanding why parts of the past are returning, and how. It is important to consider whether the appeal of the vintage wardrobe is the fashion or the lifestyle. Are they restyling the clothes to suit the modern aesthetic, or taking inspiration from old photos? This enables you to see where your brand can fit into that cultural landscape and where it will not.

Finally, nostalgia does not have to be dramatic. It can be signalled in subtle ways, such as a reference, time of year, or iconic celebrity from the past.