Why nostalgia marketing resonates with Gen Z (2024)

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Why nostalgia marketing resonates with Gen Z? ›

Here's why nostalgic marketing is effective with Gen Z: Escape from Digital Overload: Despite being digital natives, Gen Z craves authenticity and genuine experiences. Nostalgia provides a break from the constant bombardment of digital content by invoking familiar and comforting memories.

Rather than turning to current trends, Gen Z turns to the past when every teen tuned in on school nights to watch the next episode of “One Tree Hill” or “Gossip Girl” on the CW. They want to experience life in a way they never have. Youth nostalgia fosters a sense of belonging.

Nostalgia marketing also works because it feels uniquely personal but can be used on many people at the same time. This makes it a social emotion, where people can bond over rosy memories of the past together, catalyzed by a nostalgic advertisem*nt.

That might sound like a bold statement, but it's true. Gen Z holds a pivotal role in marketing due to being the largest, most diverse, and highly influential generation globally. Their substantial spending power, estimated at a staggering $360 billion in the U.S. alone, underscores their economic significance.

Brands like Dove and Gucci are leaning into Gen Z's desire for nostalgia. Every time Gen Z uses social media, they're bombarded with everything from evidence of their peers' superiority and infographics about the climate crisis to Instagram-perfect models.

It's access. Growing up with access to search engines and social media made it really easy to not just hear about the past, but to experience it. Streaming platforms gave us access to millions of stories and videos and songs throughout history from an early age.

For many Gen Zers, '90s and 2000s were their formative years, a time of social progress and prosperity. It might also represent an escapist desire for simpler times, especially when people put on nostalgia glasses looking at a distant but noticeable reality. On the other hand: “There's nothing new in fashion.

The Emotional Pull of Nostalgia

These memories can evoke strong positive emotions, including happiness, comfort, and a sense of security. When consumers experience these emotions in the context of a brand or product, they are more likely to form a positive association and develop a deep connection.

Many marketers assume the inherent emotion associated with nostalgia will yield success. That it's less risky to resurrect a previously successful brand than to create an entirely new (unproven) one. But this strategy could backfire if a retro brand's positioning lacks relevance.

A study by consulting firm Kantar found 52% of 12- to 29-year-old consumers prefer classic brands. 81% of those young consumers also said they like it when brands bring back products and trends from their childhood. Businesses large and small can tap into the trend by offering consumers new ways to experience the past.

What is the purpose of Gen Z marketing? ›

The Purchase Decision Process of a Gen Z

Studies show that around 44 percent of global consumers are "purpose-driven," highlighting the necessity for brands to communicate their sense of purpose and build connections with consumers.

Their collective voice is already reshaping how we all work, live and play. As consumers, citizens and employees they have expectations of the organizations they work for and buy from, as well as the communities they live in — including transparency, fairness, authenticity and flexibility.

Gen Z nostalgia is characterized by a deep longing for a simpler time. Overstimulation is the reason they want to dress and act like we did in the early aughts. But isolation is the other factor at play. Gen Z is faced with a billion choices for any given decision.

Nostalgia marketing involves associating a product, service or brand with positive, familiar elements from the past to evoke an emotional connection with target audiences.

' For Gen Z, hype isn't just about the allure of products or experiences; it's a communal activity that defines social identities and communities. This generation's fans don't passively consume; they actively participate, propagate, and even co-create the very hype they follow.

We've referenced Gen Z's reputation as digital natives, but thanks to their love affair with plastic surgery, some media outlets also refer to them as aesthetics natives. Heavily influenced by their constant screen time, Gen Z craves the same procedures as their favorite content creators.

Studies suggest that people often seek solace in nostalgia amid negative emotions or loneliness, treating it as a sanctuary — a coping mechanism that intensifies during transitional periods or significant life changes, activating reward mechanisms in the brain.

Gen Z Struggles With Mental Health

According to McKinsey, over half (55%) of Gen Zers report having either been diagnosed or receiving treatment for a mental health condition, compared to 31% of people aged 55 to 64, who have had decades longer to seek and get treatment.

Nostalgia runs high in transitional age ranges: the teens through 20s and over 50 (from "middle-aged" to "senior"). External triggers for nostalgia are easy to recognize. Looking at old pictures, reminiscing about old times or meeting up with a long-lost friend will all get you to wistful longing.