How to Harness the Old to Make Something New: Innovating Via Nostalgia Marketing 

Executive Summary 

Nostalgia is a powerful tool that capitalizes on the emotional power of the past. By aligning your brand to positive memories and cultural touchstones, brands can create a strong emotional connection with their audience and drive loyalty, engagement, and even fandom; three qualities that every healthcare marketer should strive for.  

Intro 

Nostalgia marketing leverages fond memories and emotional connections to promote brands and advance a brand’s message. Much like sports marketing (click here for more on that), it’s a neat-o way to capitalize on niche or passionate audiences who have strong feelings associated with bygone eras and familiar experiences. There’s even a psychological impact of nostalgia on consumer behavior, among other benefits: 

1. Creates an Emotional Connection. Yes, even healthcare brands can benefit from a positive association for brands. Those who do it right can remind their customers of the ‘pleasant past,’ a time when things were simpler. This is especially critical when reaching patients living with certain health conditions, providing your brand a small but effective opportunity to bring healing and comfort to customers. 

2. Taps into Fandom via Niche Audiences. Niche audiences are a finely honed subset of a broader target market and represent a group of individuals who share not just an interest but a passion that sets them apart from the masses.  What’s more, niche audiences are often highly engaged and loyal. Want to create a cult-like following? Start with a niche. 

3. Differentiates a Brand from the Pack. In a crowded market, such as in diabetes or oncology, where brands must be strategic to separate themselves from the competition, nostalgia could help a brand stand out by offering something familiar and comforting. Brands with an enduring legacy might even benefit from leveraging their history. By reminding consumers of the ‘good old days,’ brands can position themselves as a source of stability. 

Examples of Nostalgia in the Zeitgeist 

Spend five minutes on Instagram and TikTok, or turn on your TV and you, too, will see evidence of nostalgia everywhere. Below are just a few: 

The rise of the Tradwife. Social media is ablaze with the Tradwife aesthetic which shows an idealized view of adhering to very traditional gender roles (sourdough bread, anyone?).  

The shift toward screenless technology. In a digital age, this might come as a shock, but individuals are yearning for more analogue’ technology’ due to feeling oversaturated and overstimulated by screens. There is even a movement toward re-adopting the ‘dumbphone’ in an effort to limit access to social media and email and the chaos that sometimes comes with either.  

The Hollywood sequel/reboot. It may seem like nothing new is being made anymore, and that’s partly due to Hollywood’s obsession with reboots (like the Mad Max and Dune sagas), rewatches (the Office Ladies podcast), and sequels (it’s only a matter of time before they make a Barbie 2). Hollywood executives are well aware that sequels and reboots have an established fanbase with a built-in audience, and they know the emotional connection to nostalgia can draw increased engagement.   

How to Incorporate Nostalgia Marketing in Healthcare Campaigns 

Want to get involved but not sure where to start? Healthcare marketers can begin in three ways: 

1. Identify target demos and their nostalgic triggers. Audience insights (like CMI Media Group’s Media Vitals(TM)) can uncover your target audience’s affinities and interests. For example, if you are looking to target a Gen X demographic, consider aligning your brand to revivals or reunions of popular franchises or purchase inventory on podcast rewatch. Challenge: how can one weave in The X-Files, MTV Unplugged, and The Breakfast Club into one healthcare campaign?  

2. Weave an iconic figure into your campaign. This is a perfect opportunity for synchronicity between PR, Media, and Creative. Healthcare marketers can use famous historical figures or past celebrities in their campaigns to promote messages. For example, use an image of a beloved TV doctor from the 70s or 80s to advocate for vision loss, or partner with a well-known millennial icon to reach young parents via a social influencer campaign.  

3. Consider OOH. Not everything has to be digital. For marketers, understanding this shift toward screenless experiences can inform advertising strategies. It may involve creating campaigns that resonate with audiences seeking authenticity, simplicity, and real-world connections. Marketers can leverage out-of-home advertising, experiential marketing, and other offline channels in the doctor’s office to reach patients and physicians who are consciously seeking to reduce their screen time and engage with the world in more meaningful ways in an increasingly screen-averse landscape. 

Conclusion 

In a world obsessed with the latest trends and cutting-edge technologies, it may seem counterintuitive to embrace the past. However, the irony lies in the innovative approach of leveraging nostalgia to captivate audiences. While nostalgia is inherently about what is ‘old,’ today we are seeing creative ways in which to weave it into forward-thinking campaigns. Tapping into sentimental connections and cherished memories can lift brand affinity and, most importantly, generate brand trust and loyalty.