FIGARODIGITAL.CO.UK
Nostalgia In Marketing: Backwards Thinking Or Timeless Classics?
In a world of constant change and innovation, why are marketers looking to the past for inspiration?
I
t’s impossible to watch television or browse the web for any length of time without being
drawn into an advertisement designed to tug on your heartstrings with memories of the past. Whether it’s the OXO family, the unstoppable rise of Pokémon Go or Aleksandr the meerkat taking a reluctant Macaulay Culkin to the cinema, marketers are well practised in drawing an emotional response from their target market through nostalgia.
Association And Anticipation
This seemingly counter-intuitive approach, to give new life to modern
In a digital
world where everything is new, being an old and much loved classic is a great way to stand out and for lots of good and
reassuring reasons.”
marketing campaigns by drawing on the past, is a practice which continues to help businesses excel. Leif Brandes, professor of marketing, University of Warwick, says: “anything that is able to trigger the memory should work; sometimes it can be a song, and that puts you into a [nostalgic] state of mind, because the way we store memories is by association.” Brands often try to become associated with particular concepts, like colours or music. Coca-Cola is an obvious example of this. Their perennial “holidays are coming” Christmas advert, with its scarlet-clad Santa Claus and familiar jingle has become for many an irreplaceable part of the festive season. This advert in all its
nostalgic glory has bypassed being a mere Christmas advert, and has come to be synonymous with the holiday season itself. This year, Coca Cola have
brought their traditional TV Christmas campaign into the digital space with the creation of the #Holidaysarecoming hashtag, which will display a tiny Coca Cola truck emoji with the user’s Christmassy tweets. The same can be said of the traditional John Lewis advert, which is now eagerly looked forward to by customers and marketers alike. Brandes continues: “Whenever you can do something that triggers the recall of some of these associations, you’re in a good position because it’s also likely to trigger the memory of the brand itself, so that could either be by visual cues or by things that people levels.”
Backwards To Go Forwards
brand association, nostalgia can also add a sense of timelessness to a marketing campaign. Alex Warren, PR, says: “Things that are purposely designed to look old fashioned date far better than things that look current or even futuristic. For the with drones and 3D printers, but within six months it would look ridiculous. Stick a fax machine in it and the ongoing promotional value is priceless.” While a marketing gadgetry might alienate an older consumer, the amusement of ‘old-school’ can connect everyone.
National Heritage
Some of the UK’s older institutions are making use of this marketing
30 issue 29 winter 2016
Words: Gillian Ingram
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