"I remember when..." can be an extremely powerful phrase to evoke with customers. Using nostalgia to elicit an emotional response is nothing new, but at a time when people are unsure what the future may bring, sometimes it's useful for brands to have customers reminisce about the past. And this isn't just about baby boomers, although they're a significant force to consider when using nostalgia. But for many other consumers, myself included, nostalgia can now include memories of brands from the 80's and even the 90's. So how do brands connect effectively with customers through nostalgia right now? General Mills, for example, is currently running a campaign with Target stores that features retro packaging for cereals like Cocoa Puffs. As an added bonus, customers who collect a handful of proofs of purchase can get a free retro T-shirt featuring a GM mascot. In a similar vein, Mastercard is running a commercial as part of its priceless brand campaign that features some high-profile supermarket faces like the Jolly Green Giant, Count Chocula, and the Pillsbury Dough Boy that speaks to the tradition of having dinner together as a family. And finally, there's Disney, the brand that wrote the book on marketing nostalgia. They now have spots that speak to parents and grandparents about how visiting a Disney park can make you feel like a kid again. But proceed with caution: there's a flip side to nostalgia. If you're an airline you may not want customers saying to themselves, "I remember when airlines didn't charge for food or baggage." Having customers perceive that products and services are now inferior than before could come back and bite you where it hurts. P.S. Doesn't anyone else think it's a little cannibalistic of Charlie of Starkist Tuna to be eating casserole? I'm assuming it's tuna casserole.

COMMENTS

« back