How nostalgia became the go-to strategy for influencer marketing

Understanding nostalgia

For marketers, nostalgia is a powerful ingredient because it’s an emotional shortcut to audience.

Nostalgia marketing evokes people’s nostalgic memories to link the past to the present. Whether through music or other symbols, nostalgia takes us back, often to times and memories we remember fondly.

Importantly, though, nostalgia can also target groups who don’t have their own memories of the eras or events in question. Although most of gen Z don’t remember the nineties, for example, research has found that 37% of them feel nostalgic for the decade. Why? Because many of them think of it as a happier time when things were easier.

“Nostalgia is such a big part of my content!” explains Missy, a comedian-turned-content-creator. “There are a lot of things that my audience and I have in common, such as the latest trends in fashion, current events, popular television shows, and movies.” For Missy, the key to connecting with her audience – particularly fellow gen Zers – is to skilfully combine nostalgia with humor and visually striking design.

Another influencer, Monya, says: “Nostalgia gives us strong emotions like sadness and longing, which draw people in. Showing these emotions through art – using the right music, colors, and visuals – elicits a strong connection with audiences.” Through nostalgia, even ephemeral moments or cultural clues can resonate.

What’s your aesthetic?

Incorporating nostalgia into marketing doesn’t necessarily mean including reminiscences of the past in your messaging – just as often, it can mean evoking past periods in the aesthetics of your creative.

Aesthetics can constitute the appearance, look, or ‘feel’ of things: color palets, the overall theme of a design, and its mood. A well-thought-out aesthetic sets some content creators apart, playing an important role in how they’re perceived, and contributing to brand image.

For content creator Missy, aesthetics play a huge role in distinguishing content creators from one another.

Aesthetics are particularly salient in short-form videos, enhancing visual appeal and making content more engaging and memorable. “Retro aesthetics resonate with audiences because they’re recognizable and evoke nostalgic feelings. Content featuring vintage fashion, retro hairstyles, or classic makeup creates enthusiasm and engagement,” says another content creator, Axetya.

How brands are using the aesthetics of nostalgia

Using the delight and enjoyment of yesterday to market products today is of course nothing new. This strategy has helped sell more products and build more consumer loyalty than anyone could count.

Take Coca Cola’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign, first deployed back in 2011. Its link with the present was clear, encouraging shares on social media when people found a bottle with their name on it. But it also evoked the past – through Coke’s timeless branding and recalling school lunches with ‘hand-written’, named products.

Or look at apparel brand Bobby Jack: its brand comms retain the quirkiness of 90s and 00s childhood brands. You’ll see phrases like “Bobby Jack, for baddies only” on the brand’s social media accounts, where they jump into trending topics that appeal to both younger and older audiences.

These campaigns have been hugely successful, with people of all ages connecting over nostalgic experiences. In fact, 92% of consumers say nostalgia makes ads more relatable, and Forbes has reported that 80% of millennials and gen Zers are drawn to brands that tap into nostalgia.

Audience engagement and visual trends

This year’s biggest trends, like ‘Indie sleaze’ and of course the Brat Summer, demonstrate the enormous ability of aesthetics and nostalgia to evoke emotional reactions from viewers – by harkening back to the late-00s grunge aesthetic, and early 00s rave culture respectively.

Content creator Monya says that “Music, facial emotions, and tones are most striking. Nostalgia draws attention, almost like a necessity”. These aesthetic elements make people feel at home, while also helping them to identify with cultural moments. Influencers can make their material feel more genuine and approachable by re-creating these images which reach into audiences’ emotional core.

The bottom line

In the modern branding world, nostalgia marketing and content driven by aesthetics are powerful strategies. Brands and influencers alike can connect with audiences on an emotional level by drawing on shared experiences.

Influencers like Missy show that by combining nostalgic elements with a strong aesthetic identity, content can stand out and make viewers feel like they belong. Reminiscence is more than simply a marketing ploy; it's a bond that unites us, whether it's over a beloved TV show or the latest fashion trend.