agreed there is a lot of nostalgia driving branding/identity work now, but i think there is more to it than just going back to a warm safe space. i think one reason something like Burger King hits well for people and especially "throwback" identity and uniforms in sports (equally as hot) is because of their differentiation and boldness.
what we see in those nostalgic brands is something beyond "looking old" or nostalgic but being easily identifiable and visually representing something far more interesting than 21st century design trends. i think the Gen-Z connection to past decades is also evidence that there is something deeper going on. its not a longing for a better time they experienced, its an appreciation of something of better quality (especially in regards to music and movies). there would be no reason to look back if the present were satisfying. and in regards to those brands like Burger King or sports team throwbacks, we might be finding that what a lot of people consider a "nostalgic trend" is actually the building blocks of a distinctive, long lasting brand.
yes differentiation benefits long term, but that doesn't mean brands haven't gone off track somewhere. they needed to look back to go forward. to embrace what makes them memorable and likable and different, then build on that.
Thanks; this is an excellent post. Yet there's a back-and-forth dynamic at play here: our positive visions of the future—the fuel for our differentiation—are formed by what we've experienced in the past; conversely our nostalgia is often fueled by a fear of the future.
Jazz gives us one cultural model for creating new visions out of an appreciation of the past that avoids nostalgia.
agreed there is a lot of nostalgia driving branding/identity work now, but i think there is more to it than just going back to a warm safe space. i think one reason something like Burger King hits well for people and especially "throwback" identity and uniforms in sports (equally as hot) is because of their differentiation and boldness.
what we see in those nostalgic brands is something beyond "looking old" or nostalgic but being easily identifiable and visually representing something far more interesting than 21st century design trends. i think the Gen-Z connection to past decades is also evidence that there is something deeper going on. its not a longing for a better time they experienced, its an appreciation of something of better quality (especially in regards to music and movies). there would be no reason to look back if the present were satisfying. and in regards to those brands like Burger King or sports team throwbacks, we might be finding that what a lot of people consider a "nostalgic trend" is actually the building blocks of a distinctive, long lasting brand.
yes differentiation benefits long term, but that doesn't mean brands haven't gone off track somewhere. they needed to look back to go forward. to embrace what makes them memorable and likable and different, then build on that.
Thanks; this is an excellent post. Yet there's a back-and-forth dynamic at play here: our positive visions of the future—the fuel for our differentiation—are formed by what we've experienced in the past; conversely our nostalgia is often fueled by a fear of the future.
Jazz gives us one cultural model for creating new visions out of an appreciation of the past that avoids nostalgia.