Episode Details

Welcome to Revise and Resubmit, the podcast where we dive into the world of academic research and uncover the stories behind the data. Today, we’re exploring a topic that strikes a chord with all of us—nostalgia. We’ve all experienced it—those moments when an old song, a childhood memory, or a familiar scent takes us back to a time we can never truly return to, but the feeling remains powerful. In marketing, nostalgia is more than just a trip down memory lane. It’s a strategic tool, one that brands use to connect with consumers on a deeply emotional level.

Today’s episode revolves around a research paper by Mayukh Mukhopadhyay, 'Nostalgia Marketing - A Systematic Literature Review and Future Directions,' published in the Journal of Marketing Communications. The paper digs deep into over 139 Scopus-indexed articles to unravel the mysteries of nostalgia marketing. From the theoretical foundations to consumer behavior and brand promotion, this paper uncovers how nostalgia shapes identities, builds brands, and taps into our collective yearning for the past.

We’ll explore the benefits and the risks of nostalgia in marketing, the surprising impact it has on how we see ourselves, and why businesses are increasingly turning to it to boost their bottom lines. But here’s the real question: Can nostalgia, with all its emotional power, sustain brand loyalty in a world that’s constantly moving forward? Or are we bound to eventually leave the past behind? Let’s find out.

Reference Mukhopadhyay, M. (2024). Nostalgia marketing-a systematic literature review and future directions. Journal of Marketing Communications, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2024.2306551