Nostalgia is not enough: How brands can get the rising trend right

Nostalgia marketing has emerged as a powerful tool for brands to create emotional connections and foster loyalty. As we enter 2025, the Asia Pacific (APAC) region is seeing a resurgence of this strategy, driven by technological advancements and a yearning for simpler times.

According to Ipsos' global trends report, nostalgia is one of the top three consumer trends set to dominate in 2025. This trend taps into the psychological need for comfort and familiarity, especially during times of rapid change. Brands leveraging nostalgia are seeing significant engagement, with consumers more likely to recall and connect with advertisements that evoke positive memories. 

One such example is IKEA who went viral earlier this year when it brought back trends from a decade ago as it revamps its loyalty programme, IKEA Family. To promote the campaign, IKEA got its employees to take on the Harlem Shake trend, the Mannequin Challenge and the Bottle Flip trend. 

Don't miss: Why IKEA is killing it despite being a decade late to the Harlem Shake 

Closer to home, Air Selangor tapped into nostalgia with a gen Z twist for its national day brand film in August last year. The five-minute film pays homage to Malaysians' love for food, the innocence of teenagerhood, retro vibes and a blend of 90s game shows and reality TV programmes. It featured three teenagers compete in the head student elections. 

Similarly in October 2024, McDonald's Singapore released limited-edition socks of its McDonaldland character Grimace and Ronald McDonald to raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) which supports families with seriously ill children. The McDonaldland characters were central to the brand's marketing strategy from the 1970s to 1990s where they not only appeared in TV commercials, but were also in a variety of toys, games and themed Happy Meals. 

Nostalgia marketing in 2025

According to Lim Bee Bee, head of marketing, DBS consumer banking group Singapore, nostalgia marketing will continue to thrive in 2025, adding that nostalgia is a powerful tool and emotion that brands can tap on. "We are all moved by familiar images, scent or music that takes us back in time. In a world that’s constantly changing, consumers are craving something to hold onto a growing need for familiarity and comfort," said Lim in conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

In fact, Lim saw the power of nostalgia firsthand when POSB reprinted its vintage POSB passbook - a blast from the past that resonates with older generations of its customers. The reprint aimed to make POSB customers receptive to its "4 Money Habits" framework. Interestingly, the vintage aesthetic also sparked interest among younger customers who became curious about the history of the bank, further demonstrating the broad appeal of nostalgia marketing. 

Andrew Yeoh, heads of marketing, TIME agrees with Lim, saying that nostalgia marketing is a well-worn and proven marketing tactic that should be in every marketer's toolbox, especially when marketing to millennials and gen X-ers or even gen Z. 

"It is rooted in our psychological makeup; in fact, it is proven that nostalgia marketing makes consumers less price sensitive and increases willingness to spend by highlighting feelings of social connection i.e. nostalgic memories," said Yeoh.

"Nostalgia permeates every part of our social fabric - content (Stranger Things), fashion (NewJeans and their late 90s Y2K aesthetic), streetwear and sneakers (retro Jordans, New Balance dad shoes) - it's definitely something every skillful marketer should leverage in their arsenal," he added.

Pitfalls to avoid 

While nostalgia marketing may be the next trend, there are pitfalls that marketers should avoid. This includes force-fitting a trend just because it's cool and trending or making a blatant cash grab. Yeoh is of the opinion that quality and building emotional connections and relatabilities are important, adding that: 

Nostalgia alone is not enough.

He also encourages brands to focus on a specific target audience such as millennials, gen X or gen zs. Lim agrees with Yeoh to a certain extent, saying that nostalgia is powerful but is a double-edged sword too. She believes that marketers should not just focus too exclusively on a specific generation. 

"While it’s fine to address a certain demographic, your message should still be relatable to other groups," said Lim. She added that brands need to think about blending nostalgia with something fresh and exciting instead of just relying on the past. This can look like offering something new alongside nostalgic elements and being mindful of cultural sensitivities.

"Remember, not everyone shares the same nostalgic memories, so avoid anything that could be considered offensive or insensitive," said Lim. 

Authenticity is key 

One thing that Lim and Yeoh see eye to eye on, however, is that authenticity is key to successful nostalgia marketing. Lim is of the opinion that brands need to strike a balance between evoking warm, fuzzy feelings and staying true to their core values. "It's about drawing on memories in a way that feels genuine, and brands should have a role in rehashing these emotions, tapping into happy times, without coming across as contrite," said Lim.  

She added that Millennials crave authentic experiences and shared memories. "They're a generation that wants to feel seen and understood, and tapping into their nostalgia can be a powerful way to connect with them, bringing back their favourite childhood moments in fresh and unexpected ways," explained Lim. This can look like reimagining iconic products, creating retro-inspired packaging that's Instagram-worthy, or a campaign that pays homage to millennials.

"Think about reimagining iconic products, creating retro-inspired packaging that’s IG-worthy, or a campaign that pays homage to their favourite childhood memories – taking something from the past and making it relevant to them in today’s day and age," added Lim.

But what does authenticity look like? According to Yeoh, brands can leverage on their own heritage to be authentic, adding that nostalgia usually runs in a 20-to-30-year cycles. "Dig back into your brand's archives, to the early 2000s or late 90s. Even if you have a newer brand targeting gen Zs, all is not lost," explained Yeoh.

"Case in point, gen Z and the rise of the Y2K trends. Even if your brand wasn't around then, you can leverage what was popular in that era to build affinity and connection to your brand. Social media also allows us to test and learn and inject retro trends with a modern twist. There's no longer a need to go searching in your attic or your dark dungeon of brand archives," Yeoh stated.

When targeting millennials especially, brands can leverage childhood memories. This is especially since they generally had happy and positive childhoods, said Yeoh. "Nintendo, adidas, New Balance and even Rolex and Omega are all examples of brands which leverage their heritage to appeal to millennials via vintage and retro reissues, as well as modern day reimagining of classics such as the Moonswatch," he added.

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