The Power of Nostalgia in Advertising: Building Brand Love Across Cultures
Insights from a Cross-Country Study
Grappi, S., Pauwels, V., Pedeliento, G. and Zarantonello, L. (2024), "How nostalgia in advertising increases brand love: a cross-country study", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 33 No. 7, pp. 869-887. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-12-2023-4857
What is Nostalgic Advertising?
Definition: A marketing strategy that taps into consumers' sentimental longing for the past
Two main types:
Personal Nostalgia
Historical Nostalgia
The Resurgence of Nostalgia in Advertising
Recent comeback in advertising strategies
Reasons:
Comfort during challenging times (e.g., global pandemic)
Fin de siècle effect
Aging of baby boomer generation
Examples: Disney, Gucci, Netflix, Coca-Cola
Brand Love
Definition: Intense emotional attachment consumers develop for a brand
Characteristics:
Passion
Positive emotional connection
Anticipated separation distress
Research Question
Does nostalgic advertising increase brand love?
How does this relationship differ across developed and developing countries?
Pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental study
Participants:
277 British consumers
255 Indian consumers
Randomly exposed to:
Personal nostalgia ad
Historical nostalgia ad
Non-nostalgic ad (control)
Key Findings
Nostalgia in advertising increases brand love in both countries
Effectiveness varies by country:
UK (developed): Personal nostalgia > Historical nostalgia
India (developing): Historical nostalgia > Personal nostalgia
Cultural Differences
Developed countries (e.g., UK):
More individualistic
Emphasis on personal experiences
Developing countries (e.g., India):
More collectivistic
Emphasis on shared history and heritage
Implications for Marketers
Consider nostalgic advertising to build brand love
Tailor approach based on target country's development level