The Use of Retro Marketing to Entice Consumer Purchase

Georgia Southern University Georgia Southern University

Digital Commons@Georgia Southern Digital Commons@Georgia Southern

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2022

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings

2022

Nostalgia as a Tactic for Marketers: The Use of Retro Marketing Nostalgia as a Tactic for Marketers: The Use of Retro Marketing

to Entice Consumer Purchase to Entice Consumer Purchase

Cortnee Y. Bunch University of South Alabama, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/amtp-

proceedings_2022

Part of the Marketing Commons

Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Bunch, Cortnee Y., "Nostalgia as a Tactic for Marketers: The Use of Retro Marketing to Entice Consumer Purchase" (2022). Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2022. 8. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/amtp-proceedings_2022/8

This conference proceeding is brought to you for free and open access by the Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2022 by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Nostalgia as a Tactic for Marketers: The Use of Retro Marketing to

Entice Consumer Purchase

Cortnee Y. Bunch University of South Alabama

ABSTRACT

In marketing, nostalgia involves linking a product, service, or brand to the past to create an

emotional connection. While it has existed in marketing positioning for some time, it has become

a strategy that marketers can take advantage of through retro marketing. Retro marketing

involves relaunching a product or service brand from an earlier period, by using familiar

packaging or product designs, to evoke a nostalgic connection among consumers (Brown et al.,

2003). Through the effective use of brand attitude, product experience, and brand preference,

companies small and large can use retro marketing to create a competitive advantage and entice

consumers to purchase. This paper aims to discuss the history of nostalgia at a personal,

historical, and collective level, identify triggers that can cause nostalgic bonding, and explore

what entices consumers to purchase nostalgic products.

INTRODUCTION

Nostalgia involves a linkage to the past and, while it has existed before as a market positioning,

it has recently experienced a resurgence. In marketing, it is expressed through consumption

trends, such as a renewed interest in vinyl records, and positioning trends, such as the

reintroduction of automobiles similar to previous models. For smaller brands competing in

otherwise dominated markets, a nostalgic positioning may be a way to offer a competitive

advantage. Additionally, major brands sometimes position a product through nostalgia, and

examples in 2021 include Ford Bronco, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, and Volkswagen ID Buzz Bus.

The resurgence of brands from the past to fit into modern society, through the use of nostalgia, is

known as retro marketing (Hallagatte et al., 2018).

Through the use of retro marketing, marketers can create a unique position in their branding to

intrigue individuals through personal, historical, or collective nostalgia. Practices in each area

have been examined through previous literature and offer marketers insight on how to capitalize

on nostalgic strategies. It is necessary therefore to gain an understanding of the concepts and its

role in marketing strategy before implementing action plans.

HISTORY OF NOSTALGIA

Davis (1979) pioneered modern research on nostalgia by examining the topic from a sociological

perspective, and the research focused on the individuals’ perception that “things were better than,

than now” (p. 18). This forms the backbone of marketing research on the topic. Since then,

research on nostalgia has been defined mainly as creating a connection with personal experience

or a historical time period that creates a generalized conception for how life was at a certain time

(Stern, 1992).

Belk (1990) defined nostalgia as ‘‘a wistful mood that may be prompted by an object, a scene, a

smell, or a strain of music’’ (p. 670). Holbrook and Schindler (1991) defined nostalgia as "a

preference (general liking, positive attitude, or favorable affect) toward objects (people, places,

or things) that were more common (popular, fashionable, or widely circulated) when one was

younger (in early adulthood, in adolescence, in childhood, or even before birth)" (p. 330).

Holbrook and Schindler (2003) updated their definition to include experiences of the past that

create a “lost but still valued experience” (p. 121).

Baker and Kennedy (1994) recognized a third form of nostalgia as collective nostalgia. They

categorized nostalgia in three ways - real nostalgia, simulated nostalgia, and collective nostalgia.

Real nostalgia stems from personal experiences and the desire of the past to be felt in the present.

Davis (1979) referred to this form of nostalgia as "true nostalgia." Davis (1979) said that true

nostalgia could only be experienced if a person has lived through the experience or has a

personal connection. Simulated nostalgia, refers to historical nostalgia, that may be evoked

because a loved one experienced the events being depicted (Baker & Kennedy, 1994). Stern

(1992) discussed historical nostalgia by suggesting that the event being depicted often occurred

before one’s birth. Belk et al. (1989) proposed that collective nostalgia is felt through a

representation of a culture. Later, Belk (1990) suggested that collective memory is generation-

specific.

Nostalgia has certain implications on the types of products that consumers will purchase (Davis,

1979), which can be influenced by one or all three forms of nostalgia. Nostalgia can affect a

person regardless of age, social class, gender, ethnicity, or other social groupings (Sedikides et

al., 2004). In general, nostalgia is not about the preservation of memories and experiences of the

past; instead, it is about reviving aspects of the past that wish to be continued.

NOSTALGIA TRIGGERS

Nostalgia is typically studied as an emotional process (Holak & Havlena, 1992) rather than a

cognitive process (Belk, 1990); however, nostalgia has been shown to influence the type and

order of respondent’s thoughts (Muehling & Sprott, 2004). As discussed in the history of

nostalgia, Belk (1990) examined nostalgia through a theoretical lens by explaining the need to

preserve the past at a personal and collective level. Muehling and Sprott (2004) tested nostalgia

from a marketing standpoint by examining the queues towards advertising, which will be

discussed in a later section of this paper. Finally, Holak and Havlena (1992) contributed a

significant study to the topic of nostalgia on an individual level.

Holak and Havlena (1992) studied nostalgia as an emotional process by examining a set of 164

experience descriptions provided by 62 individuals. The descriptions suggested that childhood

and adolescence appear to be fertile periods for nostalgic meditation. Respondents in the study

depicted both personal and historical nostalgia (e.g., family, home, birthdays, holidays, and

reunions), as well as a range of emotional responses (e.g., sights, smells, and taste) that were

evident in the descriptions (Holak & Havlena, 1992). Through this study of emotions, the

understanding of personal nostalgia indicates an impact on the comprehension of triggers formed

at an early age.

Nostalgia also influences giving to charities (Zhou et al., 2012) and experiences in re-

consumption, such as watching a film multiple times (Russell & Levy, 2012). Additionally, in

some online contexts (e.g., Pinterest), social influence may moderate the effect of nostalgia on

consumer attitudes (Youn & Jin, 2017). Finally, discontinued brands can continue to engender

nostalgia, such as in the case of the MG automobile brand (Leigh et al., 2006). These effects

could be significantly valuable as a marketing strategy when understanding how to engage

consumers through personal, historical, and collective nostalgia, and will be discussed in later

sections of the paper. In addition, music has been a factor examined several times to understand

its relationship with nostalgia. Nostalgia has been examined through top hits, song lyrics, concert

experiences, and general settings.

As with many conversations in nostalgia, Holbrook and Schindler (1989) examined the

relationship between music and nostalgia. Their research indicated that development for taste in

music peaks at 24 years old and can be impacted by intrinsic components (e.g., a developmental

period of imprinting) and extrinsic components (e.g., social pressures from peer groups).

Intrinsic components can be related to personal nostalgia, while extrinsic components can be

related to collective nostalgia.

In addition, Barrett et al. (2010) also studied nostalgia in music from a personal perspective.

Their study indicated that nostalgia is linked to both joy and sadness. The study participants

reported “more music-evoked nostalgia when listening to songs that they found

autobiographically salient, that were familiar to them” (p. 394). Interestingly, a study done prior

by Batcho (2007) found that subjects felt personally nostalgic towards happy song lyrics and

connected sad lyrics to historically nostalgic emotions. Both studies contribute to the

understanding of nostalgia on a personal and historical level; however, Hallegatte et al. (2018)

conducted a study of collective nostalgia to examine a shared stimulated concert experience.

From the simulation, Hallegatte et al. (2018) explained that respondents indicated a positive

advantage of using nostalgic, or retro, marketing tactics. Respondents indicated that the use of

nostalgia offered the “best of the past and present” (p. 493). Each of these studies makes an

impactful contribution to marketing to better understand how consumers can be triggered

through nostalgia in a commercial, online, or retail setting, using music and jingles.

NOSTALGIA PRONENESS

Davis (1979) claimed that nostalgia permits people to maintain their identity after major

transitions in their lives and explained that men tend to be more nostalgia prone than women.

However, through a survey of 94 elderly individuals, Sherman and Newman (1978) found that

women tend to reflect on items associated with personal memories (e.g., photographs) while men

choose consumer products (e.g., cars). Sherman and Newman (1978) indicated that although

there are differences in gender, they found no differences in "nostalgia proneness" between

genders.

Holbrook (1993) pioneered the study of nostalgia in marketing through the development of the

“Nostalgia Index” which measured “nostalgia proneness” on an individual level. In this study,

Holbrook (1993) created a two-part examination testing nostalgia preferences, related to the

general theme that "things were better in the good old days,” per the definition created by

Holbrook and Schindler (1991). Study 1 used an age-homogeneous sample to examine 20 items

that assess nostalgia proneness. The study included 167 respondents (72 women, 95 men), with

an age range of 21-24 years old, drawn from two introductory classes in marketing strategy at a

large graduate school of business. Study 2 used a sample heterogeneous with respect to age, with

an age range of 21-84 years old. The goal of study 2 was to examine how “age and nostalgia

proneness appear to work independently as separate aspects of nostalgic preference patterns” (p.

245).

Studies 1 and 2 used identical questionnaires to collect data on respondent preferences toward 62

movies, their agreement with the 20 statements reflecting nostalgia proneness, and their

demographic characteristics. The study suggested that some individuals are more prone to

nostalgia than others. The results indicated that proneness is unrelated to age; however, later in

life, individuals tend to be more nostalgic for popular items in their late teens and twenties.

Holbrook and Schindler (1994) later suggested that this could be due to the exposure of products

during a stage of life with positive emotions that could create positive interaction.

Holbrook and Schindler (1996) conducted a study which indicated that consumers whose

nostalgia proneness is high tend to prefer movies released when they were younger, in this case

around their late teens (19 years old). In contrast, those with low nostalgia proneness tend to

prefer movies released in their late twenties (28 years old). Similar results emerged for

preferences towards movie stars (Holbrook & Schindler, 1994) and cars (Holbrook & Schindler,

2003).

Following Holbrook’s (1993) nostalgia proneness measurement, Holak and Havlena (1998)

conducted a study that indicated a “consumer is more inclined to limit the sense of loss when the

purchase or the consumption of the product can allow him or her to recapture much of the

original experience, if the original experience is remembered as moderately pleasant” (p. 223).

These outcomes were suggested after revisiting the 164 experience descriptions provided in the

Holak and Havlena (1992) study. The 164 descriptions were analyzed for emotional content by

two judges who rated each using the PAD (pleasure, arousal, dominance) Index, created by

Mehrabian and Russell (1974). These results thus support the idea that nostalgia proneness has a

moderating influence on the relationship between age and preference for products from the past.

In a critique of Holbrook’s (1993) nostalgia proneness scale, Hallegotte and Marticotte (2014)

called for clearer semantic distinction between various types of nostalgia. They suggest the need

for specific definitions for such terms as nostalgic product, nostalgic brand, and nostalgic ad.

One term that has emerged in nostalgic positioning is retro marketing, specifically retro

branding.

NOSTALGIA IN MARKETING

Nostalgia has been an interest to marketers with the urge to better understand how to evoke

purchase behavior in consumers. Nostalgia has been studied as a consumption variable

(Holbrook, 1993; Holbrook & Schindler, 1991; Holbrook & Schindler, 1996; Holbrook &

Schindler, 2003; Stern, 1992) and used to examine the positioning strategies for brands and retail

locations (Stephen & Sherry, 2003). Havlena and Holak (1991) examined the use of nostalgia in

marketing by reviewing the literature in the revival of products from the past, the applications to

branding, and the position in product design. They end their theoretical paper with a discussion

of how nostalgia could benefit products, consumption, consumer experiences, and individual

characteristics that could lead to nostalgia proneness (Havlena & Holak, 1991). With the options

for marketers to use nostalgia seeming limitless, the opportunity comes from understanding the

stimulations of personal, historical, and collective nostalgia.

Personal Nostalgia in Marketing

Inspired by Holak and Havlena (1992), whose research indicated that childhood adolescence was

a formative time period for nostalgia, Muehling et al. (2014) examined childhood brand

exposure. Their study conducted an experiment with 180 participants, with age ranges of 18 to

35 years old, to capture participants' reactions towards nostalgic print ads. This experiment

indicated that childhood brand exposure, or personal attachment, increased brand attitudes and

purchase intentions when nostalgic ads were used (Muehling et al., 2014). Shields and Johnson

(2016) developed a scale to test childhood brand nostalgia which resulted in the definition of “a

positive emotional attachment to a brand because of the brand’s association with fond memories

of the individual’s non-recent lived past” (p. 359).

Shields and Johnson (2016) began their scale development by conducting one-on-one interviews

with 29 undergraduate participants at a large Midwestern University. The interviews lasted 10-20

minutes and consisted of questions regarding brands from their childhood, towards which they

are nostalgic. “Participants consistently indicated that the brands they are nostalgic for were

those that they had consumed when they were younger” (Shields & Johnson, 2016, p. 361). After

the interviews, Shields and Johnson felt the need to develop a scale that looked at individual

nostalgic preference towards a specific brand, which they believed Holbrook’s (1993) nostalgia

proneness scale did not cover. The scale was then created and comprised of 17 items centered on,

“past usage, emotional involvement with the brand, and the perceived importance of the brand in

the individual’s past” (Shields & Johnson, 2016, p. 363).

Scales created by Shields and Johnson (2016) and Holbrook (1993) are viable tools for marketers

to understand the effects of personal nostalgia towards branding. The research supporting the

scales, by Holak and Havlena (1992) and Muehling et al. (2014), collectively indicate that

personal nostalgia is a viable path for marketers to explore in their strategies. In addition, the

application of music to trigger personal nostalgia could benefit marketers when planning their

strategy (Barrett et al., 2010; Batcho, 2007; Holbrook & Schindler, 1989).

Historical Nostalgia in Marketing

Holbrook and Schindler (1991) associated nostalgia with objects from the past and then

suggested in a later paper (2003) that nostalgia may also be associated with lost historical

experiences that contrast with those of the present. Notably, the past experience must be a “lost

but still valued experience” (Holbrook & Schindler, 2003, p. 121). For a consumer to bond

through nostalgic experiences, the past must represent a “dramatic contrast” to the present (Belk

et al., 2003, p. 335).

In advertisements, marketers may be capable of explicitly encouraging ‘nostalgic reflection’

using elements such as music, jingles, and visual images (Havlena & Holak, 1991). Marchegiani

and Phau (2011) examined the use of historical nostalgia in marketing by exposing 292

respondents to broadcast‐style advertising containing nostalgic cues. The results indicated that

respondents had positive attitudes towards brands that used historical nostalgia and were more

likely to purchase the product depicting historical nostalgia.

In a study of re-consumption, Russell and Levy (2012) recruited survey participants from a

community center in New Zealand with a final sample of 23 individuals, and a broad spectrum of

ages, genders, and cultures (p. 346). They examined re-consumption by asking about three media

contexts: movies, places, and books. Through in-depth surveys, Russell and Levy (2012) were

able to conclude that “consumers who chose to repeat hedonic experiences even just once are

expressing and affirming their individual experience and its special meanings to them” (p. 356).

The use of historical nostalgia can be a viable strategy for marketers to re-connect with

audiences of the past and entice a new audience that associates positively with a brand’s

historical lineage.

Collective Nostalgia in Marketing

Often treated as a psychographic variable, nostalgia proneness is typically related to age and the

subsequent development of consumer tastes (Holbrook, 1993). In testing age-related nostalgic

influences on consumer tastes, Holbrook and Schindler (1996) hypothesized that each generation

receives a unique “generational nostalgic imprint” and find support for the role of age in

developing consumer tastes (p. 36). To test this hypothesis, the researchers used the nostalgia

proneness scale developed by Holbrook (1993) to examine 156 age-heterogeneous respondents

(94 females and 62 males) recruited by student volunteers in the New York, USA, area with an

age range of 21-85 years old. The results strongly support the “existence of an age-related

preference peak in consumer tastes and in a nostalgic shift in the timing of this preference peak

due to differences in attitude toward the past” (p. 34).

This “nostalgic imprint” can be related to collective nostalgia, which can be experienced in

groups, organizations (Milligan, 2003), neighborhoods, cities, and nations (Kasinitz & Hillyard,

1995). Wildschut et al. (2014) observed collective nostalgia at a group level and found that

collective nostalgia led to participants in the study sacrificing money to fit in collectively. This

conclusion was determined after surveying 313 randomly assigned undergraduates (213 females,

96 males, and 4 individuals who did not report their gender) about the recall of a group-level

nostalgic event (Wildschut et al., 2014).

Given the potency of nostalgia to bolster social connectedness, Zhou et al. (2012) tested how

nostalgic recollections promote intentions to help others in the form of charitable giving. Zhou et

al. (2012) conducted five studies that assessed the effect of nostalgia on empathy, intentions to

volunteer and donate, and tangible charitable behavior. The study subjects were Chinese

undergraduate students, with the age range of 17-62 years old. The results indicated that

nostalgia's effect on charitable intentions was mediated by empathy and nostalgia increased

tangible charitable behavior (Zhou et al., 2012, p. 46). This study offered support that a sense of

social connectedness increased willingness to help others and offered marketers the potential to

exam this further through collective nostalgia.

Collective nostalgia practices in social media help brands link consumers with happier times

from the past that they may share with a cohort of common-aged peers. Youn and Jin (2017)

examined collective nostalgia through consumers' use of Pinterest. The data was collected

through a randomized survey of 160 college-aged students through evoked nostalgia and social

influence. Evoked nostalgia was measured as an independent variable, and social influence was

manipulated as the moderator. The findings by Youn and Jin (2017) discovered the significant

moderating role of social influence and evoked nostalgia generated more favorable responses

when social influence was high.

These findings emphasize the viability of studying nostalgia at a group-level to capitalize on

tendencies, patterns, and consumption behavior. When marketers have a generationally strong

target audience, collective nostalgia could be applied as a strategy to engage with the cohort as a

whole. As explained, this could be done through social media (Youn & Jin, 2017) and through

events (Hallegatte et al., 2018; Zhou et al., 2012).

By using the three forms of nostalgia, marketers can apply the approaches learned to engage with

their consumers. One approach in which marketers can engage is retro marketing. Retro

marketing creates a connection with the past by re-introducing product designs, packaging, and

slogans from a former time period into the current era. Retro marketing evokes memories of a

previous time, linking the brand to nostalgia and creating brand heritage. Hallegatte et al. (2018)

have suggested three types of retro marketing: retroization exists when a new brand tries to

associate with the past, brand revitalization tries to heal a declining brand without reference to a

specific past time period, and retro branding when the brand has a past nostalgic association, and

it is positioned to keep that association.

NOSTALGIA THROUGH RETRO MARKETING

Unlike conventional marketing, retro marketing uses retro branding to develop “marketing

strategies capitalizing on the past to sell up-to-date products and services” (Fort-Rioche &

Ackermann, 2013, p. 497). Retro branding, sometimes referred to as brand revival, involves

“revival or relaunch of a product or service brand from a prior historical period, which is usually,

but not always, updated to contemporary standards of performance, functioning, or taste”

(Brown et al., 2003, p. 20). One advantage of retro branding is the low cost of capitalizing on

historical brand equity to position the brand. Hence, given there is already an awareness of the

retro brand, the path to reposition into a more modern brand may be cost-effective. Retro brands

may also be retail brands positioned as “retroscapes” that allow consumers to experience

nostalgia in a retail setting (Brown et al., 2003), such as the historical nostalgia of the diner

(Hirschman, 2006).

A brand's past generates trustworthiness that could help consumers overcome the perception of

problems they may associate with new or modern brands. Reviving brands, through retro

branding, could draw on consumers’ “brand heritage,” or associations to past events and

memories connected to a brand (Aaker, 1996). Positive brand heritage could stem from an

individual’s connection with the brand or their perceptions that the time being represented was

better than the present. Brand heritage becomes a key performance driver for marketing

(Wiedmann et al., 2011), which explains brands’ interest in re-inventing the past (Brunnige &

Hartmann, 2019). Brands utilize their nostalgic roots to integrate the past with the present by

offering new features with nostalgia associations through appearance (Brown et al., 2003; Davari

et al., 2017). Drawing on the self-continuity theory, Routledge et al. (2011) indicated that a

product with a design reminiscent of the past will be perceived as less risky for consumers

because they are more familiar with the esthetics of the product without being associated with

outdated technology. Although the authors did not test this in relation to objects or settings

related to the past, the previous findings mentioned thus far have supported this concept.

Through the use of retro marketing, advertising must play a supplementary role to execute retro

branding successfully. Marketers consistently seek ways to have their message heard through the

advertising clutter and reach new audiences. A positive influence in advertising is tied to brand

attitude and how a brand is perceived through its marketing messages (Batra & Stayman, 1990).

The use of nostalgia captures consumers' attention on a personal, historical, or collective level.

When done correctly, marketers can harness nostalgia to relate to consumers and create a

positive brand attitude.

Muehling and Sprott (2004) studied the power of nostalgic reflection by examining 159

undergraduate students, ranging in age from 18-35 years old. They simulated two experimental

situations using nostalgic versus non-nostalgic queues in advertising. Participants who were

given nostalgic queues examined nostalgia using past ads for brands (e.g., toothpaste, shampoo,

bicycles, DVD players, and a clothing retailer). Participants given non-nostalgic queues

examined similar brand ads in a modern context. All participants were asked to answer a survey

that examined their "nostalgic reflections" towards the advertisements they were shown. The

experiment indicated that nostalgic advertising generated a more positively valanced set of

nostalgic thoughts, significantly more favorable ad attitudes, and produced more favorable brand

attitudes.

The study by Muehling and Sprott (2004) gives marketers insight into approaching nostalgic

advertising. Key takeaways indicate that nostalgia is perceived more positively and generated

favorable thoughts and attitudes by participants. A strategy could be created by marketers using

any of the three forms of nostalgia to reach a specific target audience. In addition, as explained in

nostalgic triggers, music could supplement advertising by creating a personal, historical, or

collective feeling towards the brand.

While we have examined the history of nostalgia on a personal, historical, and collective level,

the triggers for nostalgia, and marketing tactics, the implementation by marketers must be

strategic to entice purchase intention. Marketers have given considerable attention to influences

on consumer likelihood to purchase. It is increasingly essential for marketers to not only engage

with consumers but also to entice consumers to purchase. Therefore, it is important to understand

the drivers of purchase intention and what factors would benefit nostalgic branding.

LIKELIHOOD TO PURCHASE

A majority of marketing literature examines the likelihood of purchase to understand consumers'

preferences when making a purchase decision based on competing options. While many authors

have studied likelihood to purchase (Dean, 2010; Dillon & Reif, 2004; Mitchell & Boustani,

1994), purchase intent in reference to nostalgia can be affected by a consumer’s brand attitude

(Brown & Stayman, 1992), product experience, and brand preference, (Laroche et al., 1996).

Brand Attitude

The goal of retro marketing, through retro branding, is to entice consumers with a positive brand

attitude due to its historical background and modern functionality. Many researchers have

examined brand attitude in terms of recognition and emotion toward a particular brand, stressing

the influence of personal experience on brand attitude (Brown & Stayman, 1992). Brand attitude

is defined as consumers’ positive or negative attitudes toward a brand (Mitchell & Olson., 1981).

Brand attitude is a personal or emotional connection to aspects of a company’s branding and

product. Brand attitude can be positively affected when consumers feel that a product is of higher

quality (Percy & Rossiter, 1992). In turn, retro marketing can aid in creating a positive brand

attitude on the consumer’s assumption that the brand is of higher quality due to its historical

equity and modern features.

For example, Leigh et al. (2006) analyzed nostalgia through a lens of authenticity by examining

owners’ connection with their MG automobile. Over five years, in-depth data was collected in

observing MG automobile owners through first-hand observations, photographs, and interactions

at MG car owner shows, rallies, races, and social events. The examination results indicated that

individuals create a sense of connectivity to a brand, increasing their attitude towards the brand

when a communal aspect is involved. Marketers can use the results from this study to implement

social cohorts and fan clubs, connecting with consumers on a personal level.

Product Experience

Comfort and confidence in a brand can stem from various factors, with a strong influence being

word-of-mouth via trusted sources (Kozinets et al., 2010). When consumers receive positive

word-of-mouth, they trust in a brand's product experience. Through the use of retro marketing, to

evoke nostalgia, consumers are reminded of their own experience with a brand, or the experience

of a trusted source. For example, Lutz (1985) believed that the purchasing process for

consumers is more positive when retro marketing strategies are applied to create a nostalgic or

emotional brand association, in favor of the revived brand. Implementing retro marketing aims to

create a positive brand attitude that would remind consumers of prior product experience, ideally

leading to purchase intention. A consumer may be enticed to purchase a historically branded

product due to personal experience, the experience of a trusted source, or the perception that the

historical lineage of a product relates to a favorable time of reference.

Brand Preference

Brand preference is the commitment to purchasing a product due to personal fondness or reliable

feedback from a trusted source. Concerning nostalgia, an influencer of the likelihood of

purchasing could be linked to product experience, creating a brand preference. Hoch (2002)

examined the "seductiveness" of product experience and concluded that experience generates

comfort in a decision to repurchase the product in the future. When choosing brands, Laroche

and Brizoux (1989) suggested that consumers examine brands based on perceived favorable

attitudes, influencing personal preference. Laroche et al. (1996) later found that confidence in a

brand is increased by brand familiarity and direct experience with the product. This study was

conducted by observing consumers' choice of cold medicine and indicated that confidence in a

brand was linked to the likelihood of purchasing. The consumer's choice could stem from

personal brand experience or brand confidence previously portrayed through a trusted source.

Implications for the use of nostalgia through retro marketing are still being understood. One

aspect that has become important to examine is whom nostalgic messages should be directed to

entice a purchase. While millennials currently maintain a majority of the buying power,

generation Z (Gen Z) is the upcoming generation with immense buying power that marketers

should focus on (Munsch, 2021). As a consumer, four values that characterize generation Z focus

on innovation, insistence on convenience, underlying desire for security, and the tendency

toward escapism (Woods, 2013). Munsch (2021) indicated that advertising that creates a

connection through music, humor, and authenticity positively impacts Gen Z consumers. As

marketers of nostalgic brands, this knowledge is central to understanding the impact that retro

marketing promotions can make on this upcoming generation with considerable buying power.

NOSTALGIA AND GENERATION Z

Born between 1996 and 2012, generation Zs are more diverse than any previous generation and

are on track to be the most well-educated generation yet (Parker & Igielnik, 2021). Generation

Zs are considered well-informed digital natives that have little or no memory of a time when

unlimited information was not at their fingertips, via smartphone technology.

A relevant part of the research done by Parker and Igielnik (2021), through the Pew Research

Center, indicated that Gen Z is very vocal and active in sharing their belief systems from politics,

religion, climate change, sexual rights, and much more. Interestingly, they respect the views of

older generations and are more likely to listen to the viewpoints of others, even if it does not

sway their beliefs. Other researchers have noted that Gen Z admires their parents but trust their

grandparents even more (Williams & Page, 2011). This trust ties them closely with past

generations and the appreciation for a time period to which they did not belong.

Generation Zs value authenticity and realness (Williams & Page, 2011, pg. 10). Authenticity and

realness are perceived to be the core value of this generation. When it comes to influence, Gen Z

is influenced primarily through technology by what they see on media and from virtual friends,

with haircuts and fashion being the most highly influential areas (Williams & Page, 2011).

Earning the loyalty of Gen Z can be a challenge, and brands must be tactical with marketing

strategies. When it comes to advertising, Gen Zs like it authentic, by using real people who look

like them and not “airbrushed perfection” (Gutfreund, 2016, p. 245).

Gen Z’s attitude towards authenticity and the appreciation of “realness” explains a resurgence of

retro-branded products, such as acid-washed clothing at retailers like Target. The nostalgia

proneness scale results indicated that nostalgia proneness is based on individual characteristics.

Individuals tend to be most nostalgic for popular things in their late teens and early twenties

(Holbrook, 1993). Due to this, Gen Zs are not yet old enough to experience personal nostalgia

significantly. It can be argued that Gen Zs are more likely to identify with historical nostalgia

rather than personal nostalgia given their current stage of life. Additionally, historical nostalgia

on a collective level could effectively engage them. Many Gen Z consumers are in the formative

stage of nostalgia (late teens and early twenties), shaping their taste in products for the rest of

their lives. Still, they do not feel intense personal nostalgia for products popular during their

childhood. While multiple generations should be examined when marketers strategize, a

compelling case can be built to use retro branding strategies to attract Gen Z consumers.

MODEL & PROPOSITIONS

As a marketing strategy, marketers have several opportunities to apply nostalgia to their branding

to engage current and upcoming consumers. As shown in Figure 1, the studies mentioned in this

literature review create the pathway for marketers to explore options in nostalgia and provide

support for the importance of nostalgia as a phenomenon that affects the preference patterns of

consumers. This exploration indicates that nostalgia could entice purchase when marketed

effectively. Personal, historical, and collective nostalgia engage with brand attitude, product

experience, and brand preference individually during a consumers’ purchase decision. A

moderating role in this relationship is the effective use of retro marketing strategies harnessed at

the firm level to engage with consumers personally. Derived from the relationships among these

variables are several propositions, and further exploration into each proposition should help

understand both cause and effect relationships that could assist marketers in planning nostalgic

advertising.

Figure 1. Theoretical Model

P1: The use of nostalgia in marketing has the opportunity to enhance a consumer's likelihood to

purchase.

P1a: Personal nostalgia can influence attitude towards a brand.

P1b: Historical nostalgia can remind consumers of their personal product experience, or the

experience of a trusted source (e.g., friend, parent, grandparent).

P1c: Collective nostalgia can create a generational or communal brand preference.

P2: The relationship between nostalgia and likelihood to purchase can be influenced by the

actions of marketers through the use of retro marketing.

P2a: The use of retro branding by a firm can create a renewed interest in a product, through

nostalgic references and modern functionality, that influences the likelihood to purchase.

P2b: Advertising that represents retro marketing, by displaying products that relate to a

consumer’s personal, historical, or collective nostalgia, affects consumers at a personal level and

has the power to influence the likelihood to purchase.

P2c: Music that evokes nostalgic feelings, at a personal level, can influence the likelihood to

purchase.

P3: It is expected that nostalgia will affect the likelihood to purchase across generational

cohorts.

P3a: Generation Z, and their desire for authenticity, can be influenced through the use of retro

marketing.

P4: There is no difference across genders when nostalgia is used in retro marketing.

CONCLUSION

Nostalgia can be a compelling variable in the decision-making process for consumers. Through

the link to personal, historical, and collective nostalgia, consumers receive stimuli from brands

that could lead them to purchase a product. The opportunity for marketers is abundant through

the use and understanding of nostalgia triggers and their relationship to consumer behavior.

Brands that have a historical lineage have the unique opportunity to capitalize on retro

marketing, as a branding strategy. Retro marketing, coupled with the use of retro branding, could

be a cost-effective way to evoke nostalgia in consumers who feel personally or historically

nostalgic towards the brand. Additionally, the use of music to evoke nostalgia has been

confirmed to be effective and can be a tactical asset for marketers to reach a collective audience.

Retro marketing is an interesting concept that marketers can harness and utilize for years to

come. With the continuing resurgence of former popular styles and products, it is vital to

understand how to utilize the trend effectively. The conceptual model and research propositions

derived from this literature allow marketers to harness nostalgia to evoke action with their brand.

Nostalgia can be used on three levels (personal, historical, and collective) to generate consumer

emotion towards branding. To entice a purchase, nostalgia can be applied through these three

forms to engage with varying homogeneous or heterogeneous audiences. Applying retro

marketing, through retro branding, can create personal engagement with consumers. As Gen Z

moves into adulthood and generate buying power, they should become a target audience of

importance to marketers, as their preference will shape advertising. Nonetheless, nostalgia in

marketing will continue to play a role for years to come.

REFERENCES

Aaker, D. A. (2010). Building Strong Brands. Pocket Simon & Schuster.

Baker, S. M., & Kennedy, P. F. (1994). Death by Nostalgia: A Diagnosis of Context Specific

Cases. (C. T. Allen, & D. R. John, Eds.) Advances in Consumer Research, 21, 169-174.

Barrett, F. S., Grimm, K. J., Robins, R. W., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., & Janata, P. (2010).

Music-evoked nostalgia: Affect, memory, and personality. Emotion, 10(3), 390–403.

Batcho, K. I. (2007). Nostalgia and the emotional tone and content of song lyrics. The American

Journal of Psychology, 120(3), 361.

Belk, R. W. (1990). The role of possessions in constructing and maintaining a sense of past. ACR

North American Advances. 17, 669-676.

Belk, R. W., Ger, G., & Askegaard, S. (2003). The fire of desire: A multisited inquiry into

consumer passion. Journal of consumer research, 30(3), 326-351.

Belk, R. W., Wallendorf, M., & Sherry Jr, J. F. (1989). The sacred and the profane in consumer

behavior: Theodicy on the odyssey. Journal of consumer research, 16(1), 1-38.

Brown, S., Kozinets, R. V., & Sherry Jr., J. F. (2003). Teaching Old Brands New Tricks: Retro

Branding and the Revival of Brand Meaning. Journal of Marketing, 67, 19-33.

Brown, S. P., & Stayman, D. M. (1992). Antecedents and consequences of attitude toward the

ad: A meta-analysis. Journal of consumer research, 19(1), 34-51.

Brunninge, O., & Hartmann, B. J. (2019). Inventing a past: Corporate heritage as dialectical

relationships of past and present. Marketing Theory, 19(2), 229-234.

Davari, A., Iyer, P., & Guzmán, F. (2017). Determinants of Brand Resurrection Movements.

European Journal of Marketing, 51(11/12), 1896–1917.

Davis, F. (1979). Yearning for Yesterday: A Sociology of Nostalgia. New York: Free Press.

Dean, D. H. (2010). Rental experience and likelihood to purchase rental car insurance among

young adults. Young Consumers, 11(3), 215–225.

Dillon, T., & Reif, H. (2004). Factors influencing consumers’ e-commerce commodity

purchases. Information Technology, Learning, and Performance Journal, 22(2), 1–12.

Fort-Rioche, L., & Ackermann, C.-L. (2013). Consumer innovativeness, perceived innovation

and attitude towards “Neo-retro”-product design. European Journal of Innovation Management,

16(4), 495–516.

Gutfreund, J. (2016). Move over, Millennials: Generation Z is changing the consumer

landscape. Journal of Brand Strategy, 5(3), 245-249.

Hallegatte, D., Ertz, M., & Marticotte, F. (2018). Blending the past and present in a retro branded

music concert: The impact of nostalgia proneness. Journal of Product & Brand Management,

27(5), 484–497.

Hallegatte, D., & Marticotte, F. (2014). Does Holbrook’s nostalgia index measure nostalgia

proneness? AMA Winter Educators’ Proceedings, 84-90

Havlena, W. J., & Holak, S. L. (1991). The Good Old Days: Observations on Nostalgia and Its

Role in Consumer Behavior. ACR North American Advances. 18, 323-329.

Hirschman, E. (2006). Foodsigns on the highway of life: The semiotics of the diner. ACR North

American Advances. 33, 607-612.

Hoch, S. J. (2002). Product experience is seductive. Journal of consumer research, 29(3), 448-

454.

Holak, S. L., & Havlena, W. J. (1992). Nostalgia: An exploratory study of themes and emotions

in the nostalgic experience. ACR North American Advances. 19, 380-387.

Holak, S. L., & Havlena, W. J. (1998). Feelings, fantasies, and memories: An examination of the

emotional components of nostalgia. Journal of Business Research, 42(3), 217-226.

Holbrook, M. B. (1993). Nostalgia and consumption preferences: Some emerging patterns of

consumer tastes. Journal of Consumer research, 20(2), 245-256.

Holbrook, M. B., & Schindler, R. M. (1989). Some exploratory findings on the development of

musical tastes. Journal of consumer research, 16(1), 119-124.

Holbrook, M. B., & Schindler, R. M. (1991). Echoes of the dear departed past: Some work in

progress on nostalgia. ACR North American Advances. 18, 330-333.

Holbrook, M. B., & Schindler, R. M. (1994). Age, sex, and attitude toward the past as predictors

of consumers’ aesthetic tastes for cultural products. Journal of Marketing research, 31(3), 412-

422.

Holbrook, M. B., & Schindler, R. M. (1996). Market segmentation based on age and attitude

toward the past: Concepts, methods, and findings concerning nostalgic influences on customer

tastes. Journal of Business Research, 37(1), 27-39.

Holbrook, M. B., & Schindler, R. M. (2003). Nostalgic bonding: Exploring the role of nostalgia

in the consumption experience. Journal of Consumer Behaviour: An International Research

Review, 3(2), 107-127.

Kasinitz, P., & Hillyard, D. (1995). THE OLD-TIMERS'TALE: The Politics of Nostalgia on the

Waterfront. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 24(2), 139-164.

Katz, R., Ogilvie, S., Shaw, J., & Woodhead, L. (2021). Gen Z, Explained: The Art of Living in a

Digital Age. University of Chicago Press.

Kozinets, R. V., De Valck, K., Wojnicki, A. C., & Wilner, S. J. (2010). Networked narratives:

Understanding word-of-mouth marketing in online communities. Journal of marketing, 74(2),

71-89.

Laroche, M., & Brisoux, J. E. (1989). Incorporating competition into consumer behavior models:

the case of the attitude-intention relationship. Journal of economic psychology, 10(3), 343-362.

Laroche, M., Kim, C., & Zhou, L. (1996). Brand familiarity and confidence as determinants of

purchase intention: An empirical test in a multiple brand context. Journal of business

Research, 37(2), 115-120.

Leigh, T. W., Peters, C., & Shelton, J. (2006). The consumer quest for authenticity: The

multiplicity of meanings within the MG subculture of consumption. Journal of the Academy of

Marketing Science, 34(4), 481-493.

Lutz, R. J. (1985). Affective and cognitive antecedents of attitude toward the ad: A conceptual

framework. Psychological process and advertising effects: Theory, research, and application,

45-63.

Marchegiani, C., & Phau, I. (2011). The value of historical nostalgia for marketing management.

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 29(2), 108–122.

Mehrabian, A., & Russell, J. A. (1974). An approach to environmental psychology. MIT Press.

Milligan, M. J. (2003). Displacement and identity discontinuity: The role of nostalgia in

establishing new identity categories. Symbolic interaction, 26(3), 381-403.

Mitchell, A. A., & Olson, J. C. (1981). Are product attribute beliefs the only mediator of

advertising effects on brand attitude?. Journal of marketing research, 18(3), 318-332.

Mitchell, V. W., & Boustani, P. (1994). A preliminary investigation into pre- and post-purchase

risk perception and reduction. European Journal of Marketing, 28(1), 56–71.

Muehling, D. D., & Sprott, D. E. (2004). The power of reflection: An empirical examination of

nostalgia advertising effects. Journal of Advertising, 33(3), 25-35.

Muehling, D. D., Sprott, D. E., & Sultan, A. J. (2014). Exploring the boundaries of nostalgic

advertising effects: A consideration of childhood brand exposure and attachment on consumers’

responses to nostalgia-themed advertisements. Journal of Advertising, 43(1), 73-84.

Munsch, A. (2021). Millennial and generation Z digital marketing communication and

advertising effectiveness: A qualitative exploration. Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing

Science, 31(1), 10-29.

Parker, K., & Igielnik, R. (2021, July 14). What we know about gen Z so far. Pew Research

Center's Social & Demographic Trends Project.

Percy, L., & Rossiter, J. R. (1992). A model of brand awareness and brand attitude advertising

strategies. Psychology & Marketing, 9(4), 263-274.

Routledge, C., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., Juhl, J., & Arndt, J. (2012). The power of the past:

Nostalgia as a meaning-making resource. Memory, 20(5), 452-460.

Russell, C. A., & Levy, S. J. (2012). The temporal and focal dynamics of volitional

reconsumption: A phenomenological investigation of repeated hedonic experiences. Journal of

Consumer Research, 39(2), 341-359.

Sedikides, C., Wildschut, T., & Baden, D. (2004). Nostalgia: Conceptual Issues and Existential

Functions. Handbook of Experimental Existential Psychology. Guilford Press; 2004, p. 200-214

Shields, A. B., & Johnson, J. W. (2016). Childhood brand nostalgia: A new conceptualization

and scale development. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 15(4), 359-369.

Sherman, E., & Newman, E. S. (1978). The meaning of cherished personal possessions for the

elderly. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 8(2), 181-192.

Stern, B. B. (1992). Historical and personal nostalgia in advertising text: The Fin de siècle effect.

Journal of Advertising, 21(4), 11–22.

Stephen, D., & Sherry Jr, J. F. (Eds.). (2003). Time, Space, and the Market: Retroscapes Rising.

ME Sharpe.

Wiedmann, K. P., Hennigs, N., Schmidt, S., & Wuestefeld, T. (2011). Drivers and outcomes of

brand heritage: consumers' perception of heritage brands in the automotive industry. Journal of

Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), 205-220.

Wildschut, T., Bruder, M., Robertson, S., van Tilburg, W. A., & Sedikides, C. (2014). Collective

nostalgia: A group-level emotion that confers unique benefits on the group. Journal of

Personality and Social Psychology, 107(5), 844.

Williams, K. C., & Page, R. A. (2011). Marketing to the generations. Journal of behavioral

studies in business, 3(1), 37-53.

Williams, K. C., Page, R. A., Petrosky, A. R., & Hernandez, E. H. (2010). Multi-generational

marketing: Descriptions, characteristics, lifestyles, and attitudes. The Journal of Applied

Business and Economics, 11(2), 21.

Wood, S. (2013). Generation Z as consumers: trends and innovation. Institute for Emerging

Issues: NC State University, 119(9), 1-3.

Youn, S., & Jin, S. V. (2017). Reconnecting with the past in social media: The moderating role

of social influence in nostalgia marketing on Pinterest. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 16(6),

565-576.

Zhou, X., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., Shi, K., & Feng, C. (2012). Nostalgia: The gift that keeps

on giving. Journal of Consumer Research, 39(1), 39-50.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cortnee Y. Bunch is a first year Ph.D. student in the Mitchell College of Business at The

University of South Alabama, with a concentration in Marketing. Outside of being a PhD

student, Cortnee is a full-time lecturer of Marketing at the Wright School of Business at Dalton

State College, in Dalton, GA. In addition to teaching at Dalton State, Cortnee works for Social

Joey, a social media marketing agency, managing Facebook and Instagram advertisements for a

variety of businesses. Her undergraduate and master’s degree come from King University, in

Bristol, TN, where she attended on a golf scholarship. Cortnee’s current research interest lies

with the topic of nostalgia and its impact in marketing, but her interest is still being assessed as

she’s exposed to a variety of new literature in her Ph.D. program.