Why Nostalgia is the Most Powerful Marketing Tool Right Now

There’s a quiet revolution happening on supermarket shelves, in ad campaigns, and across our digital feeds and it smells suspiciously like the 90s.

From Opal Fruits returning to shelves, to Topshop’s resurrection under ASOS, to Skims reuniting the original 90s supermodels, nostalgia is having a full-blown moment. But why? And why now?


The Emotional Shortcut

In a world moving too fast; politically, economically, culturally, nostalgia offers something rare: emotional certainty. It reminds us of simpler times, familiar feelings, and trusted icons. In uncertain times, brands that offer even a hint of emotional grounding have an edge.

This isn’t new. But what’s different is the scale and speed with which nostalgic marketing is now being deployed.


Recent Hits of the Past

Here are just a few recent examples that prove the point:

  • 🍬 Opal Fruits: Mars Wrigley brought the name back for a limited run, sending Gen X and Millennials into a fizzy, fruity frenzy.
  • 🛍️ Topshop: Back from the dead under ASOS, using the same brand name because memory has more equity than novelty.
  • 👠 Skims x Supermodels: Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand leaned into high-fashion nostalgia by reuniting Naomi, Linda, Cindy and Christy, instantly elevating the brand and tapping into legacy glamour.
  • 🎀 Barbie: The billion-dollar film success wasn’t just because of the IP it was because it wove every era of Barbie into the story, making it feel timeless and timely.

 

The Movement is Bigger Than You Think

  • 🎮 Nintendo: Re-releases of NES and SNES consoles continue to sell out. Their classic IPs (Mario, Zelda) dominate because of the emotional link to childhood.
  • 📺 Stranger Things (Netflix): A brand masquerading as a TV show, it monetised 80s nostalgia with everything from product placement to style partnerships.
  • 👟 Adidas x Samba / Gazelle / Spezial: Retro football shoes have become a Gen Z fashion staple thanks to terrace culture nostalgia.
  • 📸 Polaroid: Brought back as a premium lifestyle brand for analog lovers, trading on lo-fi cool.
  • 🍫 Cadbury: Rebooted its "Glass and a Half" ads with a back-to-basics tone, reminiscent of its 80s/90s campaigns.
  • 🥤 Coca-Cola Y3000: A future flavour release styled in retro Y2K aesthetics.
  • 🍔 McDonald’s Adult Happy Meal: Sold out instantly. A reminder that some people will literally pay to feel like a kid again.
  • 🤳🏻 Flip Phones (Motorola Razr, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip): Modern tech in retro packaging is now aspirational.

 

Why It's Working Now

We’re in what some psychologists are calling a period of "collective generational fatigue." Post-COVID. In a cost-of-living crisis. Always-on digital overwhelm. Against that backdrop, nostalgia gives us:

  • 🧠 Memory-based trust: If you've loved something once, you're more likely to trust it again.
  • ❤️ Emotional immediacy: You don’t have to explain nostalgia. It’s felt.
  • 📣 Cultural fluency: Referencing the past helps brands feel culturally aware and gives consumers something to belong to.
  • ⚡ Frictionless engagement: Familiarity cuts through fast. And in marketing, speed matters.

 

The Catch? You Can’t Fake It

The best nostalgic marketing doesn’t just drag out the past for likes. It celebrates it, evolves it, and repackages it in a way that feels fresh.

It’s not about aesthetics alone it’s about memory structures. About reminding people how your brand made them feel then, and making them feel that again now.

The Rules of Nostalgic Marketing:

  1. Earn the right – Do you have the memory equity to leverage nostalgia?
  2. Anchor it in now – What’s the reason for its return? Relevance matters.
  3. Keep moving forward – Nostalgia should be a springboard, not a straitjacket.

 

So, we got together at Decide to cook up what could be next!

Here’s our creative predictions for what brands might do or could do:

👶 The Original Fairy Baby Returns

The baby from the 80s/90s Fairy Liquid ads could reappear all grown up, maybe even holding their own baby. Full-circle storytelling, perfect for emotional pull.

🧼 Retro Pack Resurrections

Expect to see more heritage packaging return:

  • Heinz with 80s labels
  • Ribena in glass bottles with paper labels
  • Lynx Africa in its original black-gold can
  • Persil or Daz in their 60s simplicity

🍾 "Analog Drop" Campaigns

Brands could launch physical-first or offline experiences:

  • Limited edition cassette tapes or VHS promos
  • Pop-up shops styled like Woolworths, Tammy Girl or Blockbuster

🍴 "School Lunchbox" Snack Kits

Imagine nostalgia subscription boxes packed with Wagon Wheels, Monster Munch, Panda Pops, Cheese Strings, Sunny D, triggering a wave of childhood joy.

🏆 Heritage Mashups

Brands might mix eras: "Your Mum Bought This in '95. You'll Still Love It Today." A campaign concept that bridges generations using packaging, messaging, and product legacy.


A Final Thought

Nostalgia works because it connects. It’s emotional marketing at its purest. But just like memory itself, it’s selective. The brands that win with it don’t just remind you of what was, they remind you of who you were.

And that, in a world that’s constantly asking us to adapt, is incredibly powerful