It’s that time of year when hearts turn toward home. The holidays stir up the sentimentality and nostalgia that often stays tucked away for the rest of the year. When the calendar flips to November, folks find their thoughts flitting toward matters of the heart  – warm, comfortable connections with family and friends. They start reminiscing about bygone days and recalling simpler times. After all, the past always seems simpler, right? They start mulling over memories of holidays past, immersed in the warm fuzzies of wistful longings and remembrances.

As folks navigate our post-pandemic world, nostalgia has become the antidote for the collective stress, uncertainty, and loneliness that still encroaches on daily life. In these uncertain times, people find comfort in nostalgia. “Consumers are escaping into the past for relief, whether buying foods from their childhood, listening to old playlists, or taking a new look at old brands,” says Jayne Charneski, founder of Front Row Insights.

Will this longing for things of the past impact the marketing world? Should it influence marketing strategies? Yes, and yes.

Marketers who recognize the impact that nostalgia is having on today’s consumer should be quick to incorporate this longing for days gone by into marketing decisions. Couple the holiday nostalgia with the COVID-induced longing for “the way it used to be,” marketers can pull out all the stops on melding nostalgia with marketing. It’s time to give customers some comfort food in the form of nostalgia-infused marketing campaigns.

Here are some tips for effectively using the past to connect with today’s consumers.

  • Research your target audience. 

Be sure to focus on the age and interests of your target audience, what’s important to them, and the era they will remember best. For instance, if they were born in the mid-1980s,’ 70s-era references won’t appeal to them. And it won’t matter how cool the blast-from-the-past campaign is if it means nothing to your target audience.

  • Bring back a beloved product or service.

Conjure up a bushel of sentiment around a past favorite product or service by bringing it back for a limited time—Burst at the seams with excitement at the opportunity to serve up a best-loved item or feature. Build connections around the shared memories and feelings of those celebrating the return of an old favorite.

  • Revisit your company’s early days.

Use your brand’s story to reminisce about days gone by. Highlight the company’s unique personality with a focus on how fundamental values have, from day one, been instrumental to the company’s success. Include lingo, icons, memorabilia, food—all the things that will take folks back to that nostalgic year. Then, ask customers to share their stories of their first introduction to the company.

Yes, nostalgia and marketing work well together. Use this unparalleled duo to your advantage this season and take your brand to new heights!

Let ASJ Partners assist your recruiting and staffing agency with targeted, customized marketing endeavors filled with nostalgia that will warm the hearts of today’s consumers. Our experienced marketing specialists know the staffing industry inside and out. So, give us a ring today to see how ASJ can be your partner in reaching your company goals.