Latest / Social Media Marketing with Fexingo: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Platform Strategy / How Brands Are Using Social Media Nostalgia Marketing
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, I was scrolling through my feed this morning and I noticed something. Half the brands I follow are suddenly posting content that looks like it's from 2005. Grainy photos, pixelated fonts, even that old startup chime sound. Luna: You mean the dial-up sound? That's actually become a whole aesthetic on TikTok. It's called 'corecore' or something. Lucas: Right, exactly. And it got me thinking — nostalgia marketing is having a real moment. But it's not just about slapping a vintage filter on a product photo. There's actual strategy behind why this works, and a lot of brands are doing it wrong. Luna: Okay, so what's the right way? And what's the difference from just being retro for the sake of it? Lucas: Well, let's start with the psychology. Researchers have found that nostalgic feelings actually increase optimism and social connectedness. When you remind someone of a happy memory from their childhood, they feel a burst of warmth, and that warmth transfers to your brand. It's called 'nostalgia effect' in consumer psychology. Luna: So it's like emotional priming. But brands have been doing throwback posts for years. What's changed? Lucas: The scale and the precision. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have made it incredibly easy to target specific age cohorts with hyper-specific nostalgia. Take the Y2K trend, for instance. That's not just about low-rise jeans — it's a whole aesthetic that includes butterfly clips, flip phones, and even the original PlayStation startup screen. Luna: And Gen Z is all over that. But they weren't even born in 2000. How is it nostalgic for them? Lucas: That's the fascinating part. For Gen Z, it's not personal nostalgia — it's 'anemoia', nostalgia for a time they never experienced. They're romanticizing a pre-social-media era, which feels exotic to them. Brands like Nokia and Motorola have actually leaned into this, bringing back iconic flip phones with modern features, and their social campaigns are full of early-2000s references. Luna: I saw that. It's clever, but isn't there a risk of feeling gimmicky? Lucas: Absolutely. The line between authentic and gimmicky is thin. The brands that fail are the ones that just slap a retro font on a modern product and call it a day. The ones that succeed are telling a real story. They're connecting the past to the present in a way that feels meaningful. Luna: Can you give me an example of a brand that's nailed it recently? Lucas: Sure. A great example is the recent resurgence of 'Surge' — that green soda from the 90s. Coca-Cola brought it back for a limited time, but the real win was on social media. They didn't just post a product shot; they created a whole campaign around the '90s gaming culture, with user-generated content from fans sharing their memories of drinking Surge while playing Mario Kart. It felt like a community celebration, not a sales pitch. Luna: So the nostalgia was the hook, but the user-generated content made it authentic. That's smart. Lucas: Exactly. And that's a pattern we're seeing across successful nostalgia campaigns. They invite the audience to participate, to share their own memories, rather than just broadcasting a retro image. It turns passive viewers into active storytellers. Luna: I've also seen brands resurrect old mascots. Like the Pillsbury Doughboy made a comeback recently, right? And the Hamburglar from McDonald's. Lucas: Yeah, mascots are a powerful nostalgia trigger. They're like old friends. When McDonald's brought back the Hamburglar for a limited time, they didn't just show him — they gave him a personality and a backstory. They made him relevant to today's audience by having him 'steal' fries and share them on Instagram. It was playful and self-aware. Luna: That's the key, I think. It's not just about remembering — it's about reimagining. And that's what keeps it fresh. Lucas: Right. And that's also why nostalgia campaigns perform so well in terms of engagement. Posts with nostalgic references often see higher shares and comments because people love tagging their friends with 'remember this?' It's a social connector. Luna: Do you have any numbers on that? Like, how much more engagement do nostalgia posts get compared to regular posts? Lucas: There's some data from Sprout Social that suggests nostalgic content can drive up to 20 percent more engagement on average. But the real boost is in shares — that's where the exponential reach happens. When someone shares a nostalgic post, they're effectively endorsing it to their entire network. Luna: Twenty percent is significant. But I imagine it varies a lot by industry and platform. Lucas: Oh, absolutely. Nostalgia works best for consumer brands with a long history — think food, beverages, fashion, toys. Tech brands can do it too, but they have to be careful. If you're a brand that's only five years old, you can't really tap into ten-year-old memories. You have to be more creative. Luna: So what advice would you give to a newer brand that wants to use nostalgia without having their own history? Lucas: That's a great question. They can borrow from cultural nostalgia rather than brand nostalgia. For example, a new skincare brand could create a campaign around 'the smell of your childhood sunscreen' or a '90s afternoon at the pool'. They're tapping into collective memories without claiming a legacy they don't have. Luna: That makes sense. It's about the emotional resonance, not the brand's actual age. Lucas: Exactly. And one more thing — timing. Nostalgia trends often cycle, so it's important to jump on them while they're still relevant. Right now, the '90s and early 2000s are hot, but by 2030, we might see a resurgence of the 2010s. Brands that can anticipate those shifts and plan ahead are the ones that stay ahead of the curve. Luna: That's a good point. And it's not just about the content itself, but how you distribute it. Are there specific platforms that work better for nostalgia? Lucas: TikTok is obviously huge for it because of the sound and visual trends. But Instagram is great for static throwback images and carousels — think 'before and after' or 'then and now'. LinkedIn might seem like an odd fit, but even there, brands can use nostalgia to connect with a professional audience, like sharing a photo of the first computer they used or an old office setup. It humanizes the brand. Luna: I've seen that on LinkedIn, actually. People love posting about their first job or their first desk phone. It gets a lot of comments. Lucas: Right, because it's relatable. And that's the core of nostalgia marketing — it's about creating a shared experience. It's not just about the past; it's about bringing people together in the present through a common memory. Luna: I think that's the perfect takeaway. But before we wrap up, I want to mention something that's been on my mind. We talk a lot about brands and strategies on this show, and it's all free because we believe in sharing knowledge without ads. That's a deliberate choice. Lucas: Yeah, and it's something we're proud of. We don't run ads, and that keeps the conversation unsponsored and honest. If you appreciate that and want to support what we do, there's a link in the show notes — it's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just a way to keep the podcast ad-free. Luna: Exactly. Every little bit helps, but we're also just glad you're listening. Now, back to nostalgia — one thing I want to ask, Lucas. How do you avoid overdoing it? Like, is there a saturation point for nostalgia content? Lucas: There is. And the risk is that if every brand is posting throwback content, it becomes noise. The key is to be selective and authentic. Don't force it. If nostalgia doesn't naturally fit your brand voice, it will feel fake. And as we said, authenticity is everything. Luna: So it's about finding the right moment and the right angle. Like, not every product needs a nostalgic spin. Lucas: Exactly. Use it as a tool, not a crutch. When it's done right, nostalgia can be incredibly powerful. It can turn a simple product into a memory, a feeling, a story. And those are the campaigns people actually talk about. Luna: Well, I'm already thinking about how to apply this to our own social channels. Maybe a throwback to the first episode we ever recorded? Lucas: Ha, that could be fun. But let's save that for episode 200. For now, I think the takeaway is clear: nostalgia marketing is more than just a trend — it's a powerful tool for building emotional connections with your audience. Use it wisely, and it can pay off big time. Luna: Well said. That's all for this episode. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll catch you next time.