Ever cried over a supermarket Christmas ad? You’re not the only one.
Feelings-based marketing is a powerful tool to drive brand loyalty and customer engagement. But it’s a careful science, delicately balancing storytelling, emotional investment and nostalgia marketing.
What is nostalgia marketing?
Everyone’s partial to thoughts of the good old days and your customers are no exception. Nostalgia marketing, as the name suggests, is about tapping into customer sentimentality. It plays into the belief that the past was a much simpler and purer time. In essence, it’s escapism but it tends to resonate with customers on a deeper level than traditional marketing which makes it a really powerful emotive creative tool.
By using ‘blasts from the past’, marketers foster community, connection and belonging through their nostalgia-driven campaigns.
That said, slapping a vintage filter over your marketing and having your models wear 80s clothing, doesn’t have the same effect. Retro-branding strategies are not feelings-based marketing. The key difference in nostalgia marketing is that you want to make your audience connect with memories they had of that time. Rather than something looking like your audience’s childhood, your marketing actually needs to transport them back there.
Why nostalgia marketing works
The psychological impact of nostalgia marketing is what makes it work so well. It triggers positive emotions around security and a time where things felt a little more carefree.
It feels good for the customer and pays off for the marketer, influencing purchasing decisions and encouraging brand loyalty. And even for those who are not customers yet, it allows companies to broaden their reach to target a new audience – so long as it’s done in a thoughtful way and not overused.
Astraia Founder and CEO Hannah says:
“By tapping into consumers’ fond memories and emotional connections with the brand, companies can create a strong sense of attachment and preference for their products. This approach can be particularly effective in differentiating the brand in a competitive market and enhancing its overall value.”
In 2016, Nintendo awoke long-dormant childhood dreams with the re-release of their Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Classic Edition, including 8-bit games like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. A few years later, off the back of Netflix’s hit TV series Stranger Things, in 2019 Nike released a version of their Blazer Mid Tops inspired by 1985 fashion and the show’s own Hawkins High.
“When done right, this sort of marketing can create lasting emotional connections and boost brand loyalty,” Hannah says. “By balancing the old with the new, brands like Levi’s, Nike, and Nintendo have shown how to engage audiences effectively.”
The power of emotional storytelling in marketing
Why don’t we see more nostalgia marketing? Because its use is limited. While nostalgia can create an impactful campaign and customer sentiment, overuse can lead to engagement fatigue, cause a company to look dated or have a negative impact on brand loyalty.
That said, the strength of nostalgia marketing is in its use of emotional storytelling. As marketers it tells us that people will invest a level of emotional connection if they feel that a story resonates with them.
Emotional storytelling fulfils the desire for escapism.
Emotions are generally more powerful for creating brand loyalty and connection than facts and figures.
Warm emotions, like happiness and excitement, typically have a more positive impact on brand loyalty compared to emotions like anger, fear and jealousy.
How to use emotional storytelling
To create an emotional storytelling campaign, start by looking at your customers’ emotional triggers. What is someone hoping to achieve emotionally from investing in your business?
Next, you’ll want to get really clear and define the specific emotion. Write it down. Make it big. Don’t lose sight of it when you start planning out your campaign.
Getting emotional storytelling right takes time, which is often why working with an agency can help. It frees up time for you to focus on your goals and objectives, while your creatives can get to work formulating a compelling story.
Got an idea? Astraia helps businesses, big and small, design and execute thoughtful visuals, copy and ads using customer insight and industry expertise.
