How and Why Luxury Brands Use Nostalgia Marketing
Despite living in an age of rapid technological advancements and whirlwind trend cycles, the allure of the past is stronger than ever. Nostalgia is everywhere.
The return of Y2K trends has taken the fashion world by storm, while film has seen the resurgence of 80s classics, with movies like Top Gun Maverick making their way back to our screens. The music industry is no exception either, with nostalgic tracks from the 80s and 90s getting their second moment in the spotlight. Thanks to pop culture and Stranger Things, hits like Kate Bush’s 1985 single “Running Up That Hill” and Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 single “Dreams” are now favorites across generations. In short, nostalgia has pervaded across the industries.
But how does that benefit luxury companies? Fashion, jewelry, and beauty brands are better positioned than most to reap the benefits of nostalgia marketing. With so much rich history that’s known to many, they have the legacy and heritage to fuel this emotionally-driven marketing strategy.
In this guide, we explore what nostalgia marketing is, why it works, and how you can implement it within your own marketing strategy.
What Is Nostalgia Marketing?
Nostalgia marketing is a marketing approach that capitalizes on the powerful emotions evoked by reminiscing about past eras and trends. It involves weaving elements of the past into the present, helping audiences forge a deeper, more emotional connection to a brand.
In nostalgia marketing campaigns, companies will reference past events, figures, trends, and concepts, and tie them in with their own brand and products. This marketing technique can be used across multiple mediums, including social media, print advertisements, television and radio commercials, and more.
Why Nostalgia Marketing Works
Nostalgia marketing is effective because it taps into the comforting familiarity of bygone eras. This powerful marketing technique leverages the human tendency to romanticize the past and elicits positive emotions. As Maya Angelou once said, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
By infusing nostalgia and sentimentality into campaigns, brands tap into consumers’ own memories and experiences, resonating with them on a more personal level. This, in turn, fosters a sense of relatability and familiarity that successfully influences purchasing decisions. In fact, marketing that plays on our emotions has been proven to perform almost twice as well as campaigns that are purely rational. Research also shows that when customers experience feelings of nostalgia, they’re more willing to pay for desired and aspirational products.
The best part is that nostalgia isn’t just for older generations, it’s for everybody. While you would be forgiven for assuming that feelings of nostalgia are reserved for those who were actually there during the era that a nostalgic campaign references, its power goes far beyond that. Despite being born between 1997 and 2006, 37% of Gen-Zers say that they feel nostalgic for the 90s. They like it when brands bring back fashion trends from these earlier times, with 74% loving when brands produce retro products or content. So, whether you’re targeting Gen X, Gen Z, or Millenials, nostalgia can be a powerful marketing tool.
How to Use Nostalgia Marketing (With Examples)
The key to creating a nostalgia marketing campaign that works is finding the perfect match between your brand and an era, cultural element, event, or figure that you’re referencing.
Let’s explore the many ways you can leverage nostalgia marketing within your brand’s promotional strategies, with examples of how some of the biggest luxury brands did it best. Ready for a trip down memory lane?
REVIVE AN OLD CAMPAIGN
Bringing back an older campaign is the simplest route to nostalgia marketing. It allows your audience to either relive the past and reinsert themselves into the era from which you’re pulling the campaign or to live out their fantasy of experiencing that longed-for time firsthand.
An Example: Calvin Klein's the Reissue Project
In 2014, Calvin Klein collaborated with MyTheresa to revisit nine of its iconic designs from the 90s. The Reissue Project was modeled by Kate Moss’ younger sister Lottie, a reference to the iconic boundary-pushing campaign that propelled Kate to supermodel status.
As a subtle nostalgic nod to those who feel truly connected to vintage Calvin Klein, the project was photographed by Michael Avedon — the grandson of the photographer who shot Brooke Shields for Calvin Klein in the 80s.
DRAW ON YOUR BRAND HERITAGE
Luxury brands are uniquely positioned to draw on their own rich histories to create nostalgia-driven campaigns. The concept of heritage carries a sense of prestige and safety that brands can draw out by reviving older brand-associated elements.
An Example: Céline Dropping the Accent From Their Logo
Céline — now Celine — made the strategic move to drop the accent from their logo to better resemble their original logo from the 60s. This almost effortless change brings the brand back to its roots, transporting its audience to this earlier era for the brand that is beloved by so many.
BRING BACK POPULAR PRODUCTS
Reintroducing popular archival designs revives the interest of former customers, while enabling new consumers to partake in the nostalgia of an iconic design. Plus, infusing fresh twists or updated features breathes new life into classic pieces, helping to introduce and establish products into present-day trends while connecting customers to key moments in their past.
This strategy also helps to strengthen and preserve brand identity, while ensuring that certain designs, shapes, and silhouettes are instantly recognizable and associated with your brand.
An example: Marc Jacobs’ M-Archives
Hot on the trail of nostalgia marketing, Marc Jacobs launched a curated collection of their vintage handbags from the 80s onwards. They’ve updated the original designs to fit seamlessly into today’s generation of fashion. Modeled by Kim Gordon — who modeled for the brand in 1998 — and her daughter Coco Moore, the brand has effortlessly bridged the past and the present.
COMBINE NOSTALGIA WITH INNOVATION AND MODERN ICONS
Luxury brands can seamlessly blend nostalgia into today’s trending topics by collaborating with well-known personalities and celebrities from the past who still hold relevance today. This strategy also works in reverse, by using modern-day celebrities to promote and endorse nostalgic products from the past.
An Example: Nike X Billie Eilish
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Nike Air Force 1 — which alone is a strong reference to the brand’s powerful heritage — Nike collaborated with Billie Eilish to release AF1 Lows.
Though the Air Force 1’s silhouette has remained consistent across generations, they’ve brought a new sustainable twist to speak to contemporary audiences, using the offcuts from Eilish’s first collaboration with Nike.
LEVERAGE MODERN MARKETING CHANNELS
Social media presents an excellent opportunity for brands to use nostalgia marketing. Even the simple act of sharing older campaigns on these modern platforms is enough to create a nostalgic connection with the past.
Over the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, where many new campaigns were put on hold, several brands were sharing throwback images of their campaigns. As we’ve touched upon earlier, nostalgia marketing is most effective during tumultuous times, making it a prime time to look back on the comforts of the past. Versace were among the drivers of nostalgia marketing, showcasing a series of vintage campaigns shot by Richard Avedon featuring Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell.
Burberry also shared advertising from decades past as part of the ramp-up for the brand's #BurberryHeritage campaign. Tagging each nostalgic piece with this hashtag bolstered the visibility of the campaign and allowed their audience to dive deeper into their nostalgic feelings.
One of the more notable campaigns was a nostalgic short film by Tiffany and Co, featuring one of today’s biggest A-lister power couples, Beyoncé and Jay-Z. The campaign took inspiration from the 1961 film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, perfectly blending a feeling of familiarity and freshness. It achieved viral success, earning over 1 million views, with coverage from major publications, including British Vogue and Hypebeast.
Navigating Nostalgia Marketing and Beyond
Nostalgia marketing holds immense potential for forging emotional connections with your audience and creating lasting impacts.
Effortlessly blending the cherished sentiments of the past with the dynamism of the present is a skilled craft that the marketing experts at Block & Tam have mastered. Whether you’re a luxury brand looking to tap into the captivating allure of nostalgia marketing or you’re seeking expertise on paid social, paid search, SEO, and more, look no further.
With Block & Tam on your side, you won’t just be embracing the past, you’ll be sculpting your vision for the future. Get in touch with our specialist team today!
