Brand Nostalgia - Holiday Edition

People can't buy what they don't remember. The Unforgettable Brand helps you build a brand by shaping memories that drive decision-making.

Nostalgia’s Psychological Pull

Nostalgia is a sentimental longing for the past, often triggered by sensory stimuli or memories. Don Draper (ugh, I know, sorry) talks about his friend Teddy who apparently knows Greek and says the world literally means “the pain from an old wound” and Don goes on in a real tear-jerker of a scene to call it “a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone.”

More powerful than memory alone? Then you know I’m gonna write about it.

Psychologically, nostalgia serves as a link to personal history, offering comfort in times of change or uncertainty. Studies suggest that nostalgic reflections can lead to increased optimism, a sense of continuity, and social connectedness. So it’s not the simple recall of an event, it’s the closest thing we have to ripping our own hearts out of our chests, giving them eyes, and showing them a cinematic instant replay of the most impactful, fond moments of our lives.

Holiday Nostalgia

The holidays are inherently nostalgic, often associated with traditions, family gatherings, and cherished memories. For many, it's a time that recalls childhood wonder and joy. Revisiting these past traditions and memories reinforces a sense of continuity in one's life and can even offer emotional respite in times of stress or sadness associated with the holidays.

Holidays are also a key time for the transmission of cultural values and traditions. Nostalgia plays a role in this process, as older generations share stories and practices with younger members, ensuring the continuation of this heritage. Gatherings are a form of social bonding that create the feelings of belonging and community and fosters a sense of group identity and solidarity – whether it's everyone watching the same movies or debating the best things we eat and drink around this time of year. The answer is egg nog.

Branded Holiday Nostalgia

Brands have recognized our heightened emotional state during the holidays for a while now. It's most evident in a taboo behavior that becomes embraced: rerunning old ads.

Every other time of the year, brands worry about ad wearout. Suggesting a brand digs up a 20-year-old ad to run again will get you laughed out of a conference room in most cases. But during the holidays brands intentionally lean into our nostalgia cravings by running ads that have been going for years and years.

Let's look at some examples:

Coca-Cola’s “Holidays are Coming” Ads:

• Overview: The annual return of Coca-Cola's classic Christmas trucks signals the start of the festive season for many.
• Impact: It evokes a sense of childhood wonder and anticipation associated with Christmas, reinforcing Coca-Cola's brand as an integral part of holiday celebrations. Their connection with Christmas and Santa is so strong that Pepsi just tried spoofing their ad in OOH and got immediately dragged.

Folgers’ “Peter Comes Home for Christmas” Ad:

• Strategy: First aired in the 1980s, this ad featuring a heartwarming homecoming scene has been a recurring feature in Folgers’ holiday campaigns.
• Impact: The ad’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to evoke feelings of warmth, family, and home, resonating strongly with audiences over the years.

M&M’s “They Do Exist!” Commercial:

• Strategy: This classic holiday ad, where M&M’s meet Santa, has been a staple since the 1990s.
• Impact: Its humor and surprise element, coupled with the holiday setting, have made it a memorable and anticipated part of the holiday ad lineup.

Hershey's Kisses "Christmas Bells" Ad:

• Description: This simple yet iconic ad features Hershey's Kisses arranged like a set of handbells, playing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."
• Appeal: Its simplicity and the charming rendition of a classic holiday tune have made it a beloved and timeless ad. I never get sick of seeing this one.

Campbell’s Soup “Snowman” Ad:

• Description: A classic ad where a snowman enters a house and melts away to reveal a young boy enjoying a warm bowl of Campbell’s soup.
• Appeal: The ad cleverly combines the warmth of home and family with the product, creating a cozy and nostalgic holiday scene.

No one is sick of these ads and they've been repeating every year for decades!

It begs the question, is ad wearout real? Could brands run old ads outside of the holidays? Is it the high emotional currency these ads hold that makes them successful or the season?

The case for running and repeating campaigns longer

Ad wearout occurs when an advertisement loses its effectiveness due to overexposure. Brands are constantly refreshing their campaigns and pumping out new work because they worry that repeating ads will lead to consumer boredom (+ invisibility) at best and annoyance (+ boycott) at worst. However, this concern is more pronounced among marketers than consumers, particularly regarding nostalgic content.

Recent studies show that ads don't wear out nearly as frequently or as fast as marketers think they do

Consumer Tolerance for Nostalgia

Studies suggest that consumers have a higher tolerance for ads that evoke nostalgia. These ads often bypass the typical annoyance associated with repetition due to their emotional appeal and the positive feelings they resurrect. Nostalgic ads, especially during the holidays, are perceived not just as marketing, but as part of the festive experience.

If you've read this newsletter before, you absolutely know brands can resurrect emotional appeal and positive feelings year-round.

Without the benefit of the holidays, it's up to marketers to ensconce their brands in other aspects of culture.

For example:

Nintendo's Classic Edition Consoles:

• Strategy: Re-releasing classic gaming consoles with pre-loaded games from the 80s and 90s.
• Impact: These consoles tapped into the childhood memories of older gamers while introducing a new generation to classic games, resulting in high demand and boosted sales.

Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" Campaign:

• Strategy: Reviving the personalization trend by bringing back the names on Coke bottles.
• Impact: This campaign leveraged nostalgia for the personalized Coke bottles of the past, leading to a significant increase in sales and social media engagement.

Levi’s Vintage Clothing:

• Strategy: Reintroducing classic styles and designs from its archives.
• Impact: By reviving its iconic designs, Levi's attracted both loyal customers longing for the past and new customers drawn to retro fashion trends.

Spotify’s “Time Capsule” Playlist:

• Strategy: Creating personalized playlists with songs from users' teenage years.
• Impact: This feature not only evoked personal memories but also increased user engagement and time spent on the platform.

? Long Story Short ?

• More than mere memory, nostalgia links to personal history, boosts optimism, and enhances social connectedness.
• The holidays stir up childhood memories, traditions, and cultural values, reinforcing continuity and emotional comfort.
• Brands are already capitalizing on rerunning ads successfully during the holidays because they resurrect emotional appeal and positive feelings.
• Classic holiday ads defy the usual ad wearout theory, maintaining appeal and effectiveness over decades, and suggest that we can evoke similar feelings year-round.
• You can successfully leverage nostalgia year-round (and even run ads longer than you might think) by tapping into emotional connections and being cultural relevant.

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