{"id":2655,"date":"2019-06-05T17:26:37","date_gmt":"2019-06-05T21:26:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sproutvideo.com\/blog\/?p=2655"},"modified":"2022-01-24T15:30:45","modified_gmt":"2022-01-24T20:30:45","slug":"leveraging-nostalgia-marketing-videos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sproutvideo.com\/blog\/leveraging-nostalgia-marketing-videos.html","title":{"rendered":"Leveraging the Power of Nostalgia In Your Marketing Videos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Our understanding of nostalgia, or \u201cthe intense longing for home\u201d, has come a long way since it was first “diagnosed” in the 1600’s. Nostalgia has evolved from being seen as a cause of mental distress to being understood as a positive way of coping with it<\/a>. It’s now viewed as a healthy way to remember the past, build our own identity by increasing self-esteem and social belonging, and even facing the future<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInteresting etymological history but what does this have to do with video marketing?\u201d you may be wondering. It turns out, this evolution is gold for marketers. Today, we\u2019ll explain the psychology behind the power of nostalgia. We’ll also share some examples of brands successfully using nostalgia to tug at our heartstrings and our purse strings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Nostalgia: Past, Present, and Future Me<\/h2>\n\n\n

Nostalgia is more than recalling a past event. It goes a step further and allows you, with the benefit of hindsight, to tap into the feelings you felt when that memory was being made. By drawing on your past actions, connections, and motivations, it helps to answer the existential questions, \u201cWho am I?\u201d (or at the very least, who do I think I am or want to be). This helps to build self-identity and gives you a sense of meaning in the world.<\/p>\n

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As professor and psychological scientist Clay Rutledge explains,<\/p>\n

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\u201cHumans are uniquely aware that we will one day die; we can ruminate on that or we can use nostalgia \u2014 or turning to the past \u2014 as a defensive way of dealing with that. Like, \u2018Yeah, sure I\u2019m going to die but I\u2019ve had a meaningful life, meaningful experiences and people that care about me. I\u2019m part of a broader and more yearning cultural and social narrative that will persist long after I die.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Nostalgia”: The Why Factor Podcast<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Nostalgia clearly taps into a very deep part of the human psyche. In short, it is all about what makes you you<\/i>. This fits perfectly into video marketing since the goal is always to connect with your viewer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Life Changes and Nostalgia<\/h4>\n

With all of that in mind, it makes sense that nostalgia can be especially powerful for people going through major life changes<\/a>. These are times when we\u2019re more likely to reflect on the life we\u2019ve led, and the direction we\u2019ll go. Products, services, and brands related to stages of major life change such as graduation<\/a>, marriage, birth, retirement, and even death thus often leverage nostalgia quite effectively. The key is to lead your viewer to the feeling of fondly remembering the past \u2014 and their past self \u2014 while simultaneously encouraging them to look forward to their future selves.<\/p>\n

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The Reminiscence Bump<\/h4>\n

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Another trend you\u2019ll notice in nostalgia marketing is the fact that so many ads seem focused on helping you to relive your teen years and your 20\u2019s. This isn\u2019t necessarily because society is obsessed with youth (which it is) or even because these are the years that tend to be associated with less responsibility and more fun (which they can be).<\/p>\n

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It turns out that there is something known as the reminiscence bump<\/a> which simply means that more memories are encoded between the ages of 15 and 30 years old. All of those boy band throwback commercials are beginning to make a little more sense now, aren\u2019t they?<\/p>\n