Stranger Things – It’s Nostalgia Marketing. All Over Again.
By Meredith, Copywriter | May 23, 2019
Okay, so now that “Game of Thrones” and all of its promotional tie-ins are so “yesterday”— what’s next? Well, with the third season of “Stranger Things” set to kick off on July 4th, expect to see all kinds of tie-ins around products from the 80s, when the show is set. Nostalgia marketing, as this is called, puts the products of your childhood back into the spotlight.
Everything Old…
Netflix’s “Stranger Things” connects with viewers who have fond memories of the 80s decade - and so do the featured products that help advance the program’s storylines. Of course, Eggo has popped up before, but get ready to see Baskin-Robbins and Levi’s references, and the return of New Coke.
New Ways To Connect
With consumers’ attitudes toward traditional advertising continually shifting, brands are constantly looking for new ways to connect. Nostalgia marketing seems to offer an indirect but effective means to attain the invaluable “aww factor.”
Advantage or Ad Nauseam?
Remember “The Best of Geico” campaign that invited everyone down memory lane with top spots from the last 25 years including the Caveman, the Gecko, the Hump Day Camel and Maxwell the Pig? Or when KFC found fresh ways to serve up Colonel Sanders? How about when Stella Artois cheered fans up with
appearances of Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex & the City” and The Dude from “The Big Lebowski” for their big Super Bowl ad?
Tried and True
The key is to make emotional connections and earn the trust of target audiences that are already familiar with brands, as well as those that are not. With non-branded products nipping at their heels, branded products must find authentic ways to solidify relationships with consumers to keep them coming back.
Anyone feel like giving New Coke a second chance? Maybe this time it will really take off. Who knows? Stranger things have happened.
At BBG&G, we’re passionate about exploring strategies to make sure our clients are part of the conversation—today and tomorrow. If you’d like to learn more, we’d love to chat. Let us know about your unique marketing challenges, and let’s discuss ways can help.
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