Nostalgia sells: Inside the brands using throwbacks to win Gen Z and Millennial shoppers

"Nostalgia is everywhere. And while yearning for the past is nothing new, its ubiquity in modern marketing and commerce is fueled by digital platforms that make it easier than ever to revisit the imagery, music, and aesthetics of earlier decades-transforming memory into a shared, searchable experience. As of October 2025, TikTok's #nostalgia hashtag included 16.9 million posts, with almost 100 billion views, while #90s and #Y2K added tens of billions more."

"Brands across industries are reviving the past to create emotional connections with modern consumers. Nonalcoholic beverage maker Ghia paired the fall 2025 release of its Blood Orange Spritz with a vintage soccer jersey reminiscent of Italian leisurewear, while fitness equipment company Bala styled its campaigns in shimmering 1980s-era spandex. Rhode-Hailey Bieber's skincare brand-looked to a supermodel-filled 1990s Versace campaign for inspiration in a January 2025 shoot."

"Two generations in particular, Gen Z and millennials, are driving this nostalgic resurgence. According to consumer insights platform GWI, 15% of Gen Z said they'd rather think about the past than the future, compared with 14% of millennials. Roughly half of both generations reported feeling nostalgic for certain kinds of media. These two younger cohorts also represent the fastest-growing consumer spenders, which makes their nostalgic preferences especially influential for brands seeking cultural relevance and long-term loyalty."

Nostalgia permeates modern commerce as digital platforms make imagery, music, and aesthetics from past decades widely accessible and shareable. TikTok hashtags like #nostalgia, #90s, and #Y2K generated billions of views and millions of posts by October 2025. Brands in beverages, beauty, fitness, apparel, technology, and gaming revive vintage styles to forge emotional connections with consumers. Examples include Ghia pairing a Blood Orange Spritz with a vintage soccer jersey and Bala using 1980s-inspired campaigns. Gen Z and millennials show notable nostalgic tendencies and are rising as major consumer spenders, making nostalgia a strategic design language for awareness and loyalty.

Read at Macon Telegraph