#ThrowbackThursday: Why Nostalgia Never Goes Out of Style

The bootcut jean is back. Flip phones are in. It feels like everyone, and their mom, is rocking dad sneakers. The quintessential '90s brown-liner-and-glossy-lip combo is a fall favourite. Kal Ho Na Ho is back in theatres. 8-bit games are cool again—and so are book clubs. People are visiting permit rooms for a drink. Oasis is making a comeback, as are Van Gogh’s sunflowers - albeit AI-powered. Digital cameras too have found their way back, from being a millennial must-have to now a Gen Z-approved cool gadget. And are we really back to posting images instead of videos on Instagram? (Okay, maybe not quite there yet!) Nevertheless, nostalgia is undeniably in the air - and I am not just referring to the chill in the December breeze that makes us reminisce the best of times.

It’s no wonder that brands rely on nostalgia-driven storytelling to connect and reconnect with their audience. When asked to describe PR in one word, I always choose ‘storytelling.’ What is storytelling, if not narrating incidents of the past, revisiting moments & memories, and feeling a sense of belonging at its wholesome best? In a world of fleeting trends, nostalgia is a feeling that lingers long after you have changed out of your OOTD, and hash-tagged Throwback. What’s old is new again!

PR plays a crucial role in amplifying nostalgia-driven campaigns by weaving a brand’s history into cultural touchpoints, forging authentic connections with diverse audiences. Through compelling media narratives, creative social media campaigns, and immersive community activations, PR brings legacy storytelling to life. By highlighting a product’s cultural significance, these campaigns spark timeless memories, resonating with loyal customers while attracting new, younger audiences. The outcome is a dynamic dialogue between the brand, its heritage, and its audience—where nostalgia becomes a shared story that drives future growth.

Sneaker brands like adidas and Nike have mastered this art. adidas Originals’ campaign, ‘We gave the world an original, and you gave us a thousand back,’ celebrated over 50 years of iconic sneakers like the Superstar, Samba, and Gazelle, reintroducing them to a new generation while honouring their legacy. While their NMD_V3 campaign reimagined the popular NMD sneaker franchise by blending nostalgia with innovation, embodying the ethos of letting the past empower the future. Nike’s Air Max Day too exemplifies this narrative, inviting its community to celebrate and reinterpret a retro silhouette annually. By reigniting cherished memories for the older generations and inspiring the next-gen to create their own, these campaigns build a vibrant, connected community rooted in shared experiences.

Brands are also increasingly weaving terms like ‘updated classics,’ ‘heritage collections,’ and ‘archival icons’ into their lexicon, signalling a commitment to blending timeless elegance with modern relevance. This approach allows brands to refresh their identity, offer new perspectives, and shift the narrative—all while staying true to their roots.

The Levi’s 501 blue jean is another such product that has captured a cross-generational appeal. Deeply tied to personal stories and cultural milestones, it transcends its physical form to become a symbol of belonging. Clinique’s relaunch of its cult-classic Black Honey lipstick has emerged as a Gen-Z favourite, earning the badge of a viral hit for its sheer versatility. Gucci’s latest collections under Sabato De Sarno revived the iconic maroon tones (aka Gucci Rosso) while reimagining classic accessories like the Jackie bag, fusing vintage elegance with modern relevance. Meanwhile, De Beers’ recent 'Forever Present' campaign for Forevermark builds on the iconic tagline, 'A Diamond Is Forever,’ resonating with younger audiences and celebrating the timeless allure of diamonds—just in time for the holiday season.

Sometimes, the nostalgia theme is also leveraged for specific launches like Maybelline’s collaboration with The Archies on Netflix India for a limited-edition ‘60s-inspired makeup collection, and at other times it also marks milestones, as seen in Motorola’s flip phone campaign featuring Y2K icon Paris Hilton, marking 20 years of the Razr, and announcing its newest iteration of the device with the ‘House of Razr’ event in Brooklyn. Indian designers like Rahul Mishra, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, and Manish Malhotra too seamlessly blend nostalgia with contemporary fashion by reviving traditional crafts, celebrating heritage weaves, and even giving these artisanal legacies a global stage.

Even TikTok and Instagram Reel trends are not immune to nostalgic revisits. What are trends like ‘Y2K,’ ‘Old Money,’ and ‘Cottage Core’—if not subtle nods to specific eras or cultural moments of the past reinterpreted by the new generation? Each of these trends tap into different forms of collective memory. They are not just reviving styles; they are also inviting people to reconnect with emotional and cultural experiences from the past, making them feel both familiar and fresh in today's context.

Nostalgia storytelling’s true power lies in its ability to evoke shared memories while sparking fresh cultural conversations. And while it is tempting to bask in the past, its real value depends on how well it inspires the future. In moments of uncertainty, we often find ourselves clinging to the past, seeing it through rose-tinted glasses. But ultimately, we do have the power to decide what to carry forward and pass down to the next-gen, and what we would like to leave behind or even reinterpret in a fresh way.

And as I reflect on this, I cannot help but wonder—what part of my life would I bring back under the garb of an archival revisit? Would I revive an old hobby, read a classic, or simply revisit a cherished moment? Only time or my next Throwback post will tell!