Nostalgia & the “Retro” Factor

Nostalgia has always been a powerful marketing tool and some brands are going all in on “retro” to appeal to older consumers who long for what they know, and at the same time, attracting younger consumers looking for something new and unique.

Using E-Score Brand we looked at brands that recently released “retro” inspired products and how this trend has made its way into advertising.

Nikon

In the competitive landscape of digital photography, Nikon has taken a unique approach with its latest Nikon Zfc camera inspired by the classic Nikon FM film cameras. Their latest release promises to capture young consumers/vloggers attracted by the “retro” trend while appealing to older consumers who once likely owned the film cameras.  They recently announced they sold out the pre-sale allotment of all Zfc cameras in 2 weeks.

• While Nikon holds its highest Awareness among Gen X consumers, it has successfully marketed to Gen Z who score higher in Unique and Would Try New Products. We will keep a close eye on how their new launch affects their Nostalgic score.

Ford

After 25 years, Ford is reviving one of its most iconic models, the Ford Bronco. Set up as a direct competitor to the Jeep Wrangler, Ford set out to gain market share among off-roading enthusiasts – young and old – with Nostalgia as its secret ingredient to raise its profile. 

• Ford holds high Awareness and Classic scores across all generational groups. Whether or not the new Bronco will help their Nostalgic and Unique scores is still to be determined.

Nostalgia in Advertising

There has been a recent surge of Nostalgia in advertising as Adobe recently released tutorial videos paying homage to Bob Ross, and the Edward Scissorhands character saw a reincarnation with Timothee Chalamet playing his son in a recent Super Bowl Ad for Cadillac. If you’re interested in how E-Score Character can measure brand mascot success, here is a recent article from our newsletter.

Sustainability – Outdoor Brands in a Post Pandemic Environment

More and more consumers are rating Sustainability as an important factor in their purchasing decisions. With outdoor activities being a safer option during the pandemic, and the cost/crowds of traveling this summer, Americans are eager to get outdoors. The surge of online shopping and packaging waste has also made Sustainability a priority for some brands.

• Consumers across all generations see Patagonia as the strongest when it comes to sustainability (the highest Sustainable score is among Gen Z consumers at 31%).  Millennials and Gen X consumers strongly believe that Patagonia cares about making a positive difference in the world. 
• The North Face has become a culturally trendy brand, which is apparent from the strong Awareness, Appeal, and Innovative scores.  There is still room to improve their score on Sustainability. To that point, they just announced an initiative that all apparel will be renewable/recycled by 2025.

E-Score Brand allows you to uncover how you and your competitors are able to target consumers based on what areas are important to them. Whether it’s measuring key attributes that consumers in your industry care about or seeing what strengths and weaknesses your competitors have, E-Score Brand can find the answers you’re looking for. Contact us for more information.