April BITES: Nowstalgia... that's hot

BITES // 04.07.22 // TODAY'S TOPIC: NOWSTALGIA : A BLAST FROM THE PAST

Every month we collect six of the best pieces of content published on the web and share them with you because we believe that the most extraordinary thinking is inspired by looking to unexpected places. BITES is a reading list for those who want to bring a little of the outside, in.

OVERVIEW -??Futurestaliga is back. These are moments of tension and moments of opportunity – between what happens when the power of the past fuses with the vision that people have for their future. Nostalgia is a refuge and trends are cyclical yet we find comfort in the familiar. People use nostalgia for comfort, security, and memories in the past even if it wasn't their own but others. We’re seeing many brands lean into nostalgia marketing across all sectors including movies, TV, fashion, and food/drink. Younger generations have been living in times of uncertainty and economic hardship and are just starting to navigate adulthood on their own.?

1. POKéMON GETS A 90S FACELIFT?

Nintendo leaned heavily into nostalgia for the new release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus on the Nintendo Switch. The new ad takes pokemon fans back in time to 90's gaming commercials using Pokemon puppets in familiar reality TV plots. The tagline for the campaign is “Pokémon—but not as you know it,” with Murphy stating that it was meant to invite not only megafans but also lapsed fans or people who have never played a Pokémon to reconsider having another look at playing the game. Peter Murphy, senior director of marketing talks about the team's objective to take something familiar and add a fresh perspective. In its first week of sales the game sold over 6.5 million copies beating the 2021 release of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. You can watch the ad here.?

2. Y2K FASHION MAKES A COMEBACK WITH SOME TWISTS?

For many Millennials there were a lot of fashion trends in the early 2000s that gave people body image issues, from low-rise skinny jeans to mini skirts that were predominantly made for slim, air-brushed bodies that were highly unattainable. Fashion brands notorious for small sizing, like Abercrombie & Fitch, have made their lines more size inclusive and are featuring more body types in their ads. Refinery29 talked to multiple Millennials about their thoughts on the revitalizing Y2K trends. Many say it is an entertaining and fun way to revisit their youth in a more accepting and safe space where they can be who they wanted to be as a teenager.?

3. TUMBLR IS BACK WITH A GEN Z FANBASE

Tumblr was founded back in 2007, way back before Gen Z was on it. It was built to be a simple, social blogging platform but its multimedia approach differentiated it from other platforms really leaning into curated photography and a long form blogs format. Cavel Khan, Tumblr’s chief revenue officer said that 48% of active users and 61% of new users are Gen Z. What is drawing this generation towards the platform is the fandom and niche community aspect to it. It is also a place where creators can gather, particularly those interested in art and photography. Many find it a place where they can find entertainment. Tumblr found that on average users spent an average? of 44 minutes on the platform in 2021. Back in July of 2021 Tumblr released a Post+ subscription service for Gen Zers. There’s been a resurgence of long-form content on the internet and if Tumblr can attract enough creators and loyal creators to its service, it’s possible that more fans will follow.?

4. COMMITTED TO THE WIRE?

Limewire is relaunching as an NFT marketplace getting a crypto makeover for a new generation. A pair of Austrian entrepreneurs, Paul and Julian Zehetmayr, bought the company rights in hopes to evoke nostalgia for the file-sharing service. To extend the Y2K trend, Gen Zers are opting for wire headphones and ditching AirPods. This is also a result of TikTok creators and influencers’ preference for using wire headphones with microphones to record their videos. Aesthetics play a big role in their preference as well with Gen Zers wanting to emit the cool Tumblr vibe and look from the 2010 era. It has also become an “anti-finance bro” statement with the opposite look of the Patagonia and Airpod look associated with that group. This trend has been pioneered by big celebrity "It" girls including Lily Rose Depp, Zoe Kravitz, Bella Hadid, and the Olsen twins.?

5. GEN ZERS ARE FLIPPING OUT?

Remember the days of the flip phone from RAZR’s, Nokia’s, Blackberry’s, and Sanyo’s? These iconic status symbols are on the rise again with the help of Gen Z. They are opting for simpler tech that isn’t overly complicated with TiKTok helping to accelerate the trend with over 300 million views for #flip phone. It is also an aesthetic accessory that Gen Z finds more exciting, sleek, and customizable making them feel more unique. Artists like Jack Harlow and K-Pop star Sunmi have used the phones in their music videos “Luv is Dro” and “You can’t sit with us.” While we may think of Gen Z as the online generation, their fascination with simple technology stems from them wanting to be offline more with social media overload. This younger generation is wanting to unplug and live in the moment and flip phones help them feel relieved from the stress of constant texting, app checking, and ultimately dependency on technology.?

6. POP PUNK RENAISSANCE?

People have had a lot of feelings the last two years, one of those being angst leading to the pop punk genre topping music charts and coming back into the mainstream. With popular artists like Olivia Rodrigo, WILLOW, and Machine Gun Kelly releasing pop punk albums in 2021 and the announcement of “When We Were Young '' festival show a strong renewed interest in the genre.? Pop punk alumni like Avril Lavigne and Travis Barker are helping to bridge the gap between Millennials and Gen Z voices. Barker, the drummer from Blink 182, has been on the forefront to help usher in and bring in new talent to the scene. He has helped to bring artists from TikTok like LILHUDDY, jxdn, and Nessa Barret to the forefront of today’s pop punk culture and conversation . What Gen Z loves most about? pop punk are the high energy live shows, emotional lyrics , and fresh guitar riffs. It has even shown up across the world in the massive genre of K-Pop.?

TAKEAWAY-?Brands have the opportunity to help consumers feel not only confident when purchasing a product or service. Looking at the bigger picture though, as advertisers we need to think about how nostalgia can help move people forward and create a better future not just be a comfort blanket for consumers.?