Nostalgia: The biggest buzzword in marketing, but who’s doing it right?

Dazed Studio’s big winners

In a time of great uncertainty, culture is craving the past. From reissued sneakers to vintage filters and reimagined logos, nostalgia has become a dominant force in brand storytelling. The desire for comfort, familiarity, and shared cultural memory is driving a renewed fascination with the past; we now even have a word to describe it - anemoia, the longing for a past one hasn’t even experienced.

The line between resonance and regression is thin. Audiences can tell when nostalgia is used as emotional shorthand rather than authentic connection.

“I am becoming so disenfranchised with companies using our nostalgia as a pure cash grab…I feel insulted by the bastardisation of this beloved franchise and feel like studios are treating us like cattle because of our love of our favorite childhood media. Just to make a few extra dollars.” 

- WormTimeBebe, r/nostalgia

When handled carelessly, weaponising nostalgia in marketing can feel like exploitation; when done right, it can reignite meaning, trust, and belonging. How can brands use nostalgia in a culturally relevant way? Here’s what Dazed Studio thinks:

Community-inspired nostalgia

Case Study: Zohran Mamdani's NYC Mayoral Campaign

"In the wake of Zohran's amazing win, I've been seeing a lot of content analysing (and giving flowers) to the design identity of the campaign. It's such a good example of design being used for purpose, and it was very rooted in nostalgic visuals. It was a statement in itself that said we're tired of corporate, grey visuals and we want something human, relatable and local. It was rooted in its context, taking inspiration from signage, store fronts and more. This made it feel familiar and naturally NY. I liked the idea that when the printed ephemera like posters and stickers were circulated, they were returned back to the place they were inspired by."

- Lilah Francis, Associate Creative Director Dazed Studio

Zohran Mamdani’s NYC mayoral campaign used nostalgia as a design strategy. The campaign’s visual identity borrowed cues from the city’s everyday vernacular: hand-painted storefronts, corner delis, and neighborhood signage, creating a look and feel that felt instantly familiar to New Yorkers, as well as harbouring a distinct Bollywood feel. It was a deliberate rejection of the polished, corporate design language typical of political campaigns, instead embracing something warmer, more human, and unmistakably local. In doing so, the campaign showed how nostalgia can be used to reflect and celebrate the character of a community.

Accessible Nostalgia

Case Study: Telepathic Instruments - The Orchid Synth

“I love the way Telepathic Instruments introduced The Orchid to us - through a step-by-step tutorial starring Matt Berry that acted as a 90s synth tutorial. The aesthetics of the campaign and the communication style made me want to find and circle one in an Argos Catalogue. It sparked my curiosity in a very childlike way, they had my attention for the entire 12 minutes - pretty impressive nowadays.” 

- Mina Polo, Junior Strategist, Dazed Studio

Tame Impala’s Telepathic Instruments launched The Orchid earlier this year, a synth that re-charges retro aesthetics with contemporary purpose. The synth’s burnt-yellow casing, minimalist single-octave keyboard and retro “performance mode” labels nod clearly to classic analog instruments of the 1970s and 80s, yet beneath the surface it delivers modern tech (16-voice engine, chord-logic matrix, built-in speakers and MIDI) that meets today’s creative demands. This blend of past and future means The Orchid becomes a cultural artifact as well as a product, helping the brand tap emotional identity and modern creative aspiration of even the most amateur musician in one go.

Nostalgic Product Design

Case Study: Nothing Phones & Headphones

“They do a really good job of marrying nostalgia and really accessible tech.” 

- Louise Grosjean, Junior Art Director, Dazed Studio

With its transparent design language and stripped-back interface, Nothing is redefining tech nostalgia for a generation that never lived through the early days of consumer electronics. The brand’s phones and headphones channel the tactile minimalism of 2000s devices: visible circuits, LED glyphs, clicky feedback, evoking an era when technology felt more physical and less algorithmic. This taps into Gen Z’s “offline movement”, a cultural desire to reclaim presence, reduce noise, and reconnect with the real world (whilst not going total-Luddite).

Nostalgia through consistent branding

Case Study: Tunnock's

“Tunnock’s doesn’t need to manufacture nostalgia, it’s baked into their brand DNA. By never chasing trends or refreshing for relevance, they’ve become a timeless icon. Their packaging, tone and product design have barely changed for over 70 years, and that unwavering consistency has built trust, affection and a kind of emotional permanence that most brands try (and fail) to recreate through nostalgia.” 

- Izzy Farmiloe, Group Strategy Director, Dazed Studio

The Scottish confectionery brand has built enduring cultural relevance by staying remarkably unchanged; its signature red-and-gold foil wrappers, retro typography, and no-nonsense tone have become instantly recognisable symbols of comfort and heritage. Still a family business, Tunnock's relies on consistency to nurture long-term emotional bonds; that steadfastness has transformed simple products like the Tea Cake and Caramel Wafer into cultural icons, demonstrating that sometimes its powerful to merely never lose sight of who you are.

Generational Nostalgia

Case Study: M.A.C's Lipglass Air Campaign

"It re-engages audiences from that time but it was also a cult product for a reason - I was angry when my fav product was discontinued. You become quite loyal to a brand and the aesthetic plays into 00’s. It helps a brand gain relevance in a modern day - bringing back the archival product."

- Iddy De Viell, Head of Commercial Beauty, Dazed Media

M.A.C’s Lipglass Air campaign breathed new life into one of the brand’s most iconic products by tapping into generational nostalgia. Featuring models alongside their mothers, the campaign celebrated the shared memories and emotional connection tied to the Lipglass product. By reintroducing the cult favourite through a contemporary lens, M.A.C re-engaged long-time fans while introducing the product’s legacy to a new generation.

Reviving a 00s icon

Case Study: Palace Total 90 Nike

“The casting, the collaboration and the product itself is brilliant. That trainer is so iconic from the 90s/00s - partnering with Palace pulls the whole thing together with authenticity. The activations; the skate park and football pitch worked so well to make the whole partnership feel real and 360.”

- Dan Fitzgerald, Executive Director, Commercial & Studio, Dazed Media

The Palace × Nike Total 90 collaboration has revived one of football’s most recognisable silhouettes, fusing early-2000s sports nostalgia with the irreverent energy of contemporary streetwear, and has brought back the Total 90 through a collaboration that bridges football, fashion, and youth culture.

The takeaway for brands

Start with truth, not just simply a trend. Ask: what memory, feeling, or cultural moment are we reconnecting with, and why does it matter now? Nostalgia should deepen a brand’s story, not distract from it. Build from real emotion and lived experience, and layer it with modern purpose.

Tapping into nostalgia is about finding meaning in the familiar and using it to move culture forward. When brands borrow from the past without intention, they risk feeling exploitative or insincere. When nostalgia is rooted in community, craft, and authenticity, it becomes a powerful tool for connection. The most successful examples don’t simply replicate old aesthetics; they reimagine them through a contemporary lens, translating shared memories into new cultural relevance.