Admit it – who doesn’t love a little trip down memory lane every now and then?
In this article
The power of nostalgia shouldn’t be ignored – especially from an engagement point of view – and we are seeing more brands harness the pull that memories have on audiences across a wide range of industries.
Martine McCutcheon x Lidl
Lidl has taken us back to the late 90s with soap superstar-turned-singer Martine McCutcheon singing a more on-brand version of the UK’s 1996 Eurovision Song Contest entry “Ooh… Aah… Just a Little Bit” to advertise their new loyalty app.
The clever use of the brand’s name within the song (‘little’ to ‘Lidl’) and lyrics which could be mistaken for the original 90s banger, Lidl has clearly aimed to target the Millennial generation who would recognise the tune, despite being recorded originally by Gina G for the ‘96 Eurovision entry, and who are the generation more likely to be looking for a loyalty app to make some super savings on their weekly shop
By pairing Martine with such a memorable song, Lidl has definitely transported us back to the 90s/ early 00s and definitely caught our attention.
Waitrose x S Club
In a similar twist of nostalgic fate, Waitrose has levied the pulling power of brit-pop legends S Club to relaunch their No.1 range… using the band’s hit song “You’re My Number One”.
Unlike Lidl who cleverly re-interpreted their song of choice to reflect the product they were advertising, Waitrose took a much easier route by choosing a band with a song that needed no changes to the lyrics, giving an even more authentic nostalgic feel to the advert.
S Club can be seen dancing down the aisles of a Waitrose store, finally sitting down to a grand table filled with Waitrose premium range treats.
Again, Millennials seem to be the target generation – those of us over a certain age will be instantly transported back to primary school era disco nostalgia and somehow still remember the words like some 90s pop band sleeper agent.
AirBnb x Blockbuster
Is there anything more quintessentially 90s than Blockbuster? AirBnb had the genius idea back in 2020 to create a cosy Blockbuster-themed living space in an old store of the video brand which was only available for three one-night bookings in September and was known as “The Last Blockbuster”.
Coupling nostalgia with creating an atmosphere of serious FOMO, the brand saw coverage fly in as potential guests created a frenzy to have one last Blockbuster experience. They also seized another opportunity to further the positive sentiment surrounding the custom space – proceeds from the bookings would go to the Humane Society of Central Oregon.
The limited availability and a strong nostalgic charm, the partnership created a buzz, drawing in fans of both brands.
Why Do This?
While it may seem cheesy and strange to use pop stars and brands from years ago, but it’s the pull that those artists, songs and products bring that the brands are looking to benefit from
Millennials over the age of 30 will be the perfect age group to target; they’re more tech-savvy than their older Gen X counterparts, they’ll be the ones looking for the best deals during the cost of living crisis… and (speaking as a millennial myself) they are VERY motivated and influenced by nostalgia.
They will also be the last generation to remember the excitement of renting a physical VHS or DVD from the beloved Blockbuster.
However, there are some things that brands shouldn’t do when trying to jump on the nostalgia train… especially when it comes to fashion. While many Y2K fashion trends are coming back, you won’t catch this millennial shopping for low-rise jeans, bandanas or tattoo chokers…
That’s why it’s important to fully understand who you want to target with your campaigns – what they like, what they don’t like… and what resonates with them and will influence them the most.
Banner image sources:
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/44577127
