The Return to Retro
The Roaring Twenties (sometimes stylised as the Roarin’ Twenties) refers to the return to styles, habits, or significant popular culture from yesteryear. The new decade brings opportunities for brands to for innovate, create and leverage and market through the feeling of nostalgia.
(Source: Google Trends- Search traffic shows a return of interest simpler activities)
Decades of pressure to constantly be better has lead to activities where consumers accept that they should take pleasure to depressurise. Unproductive leisure has now become an attraction – but as a route in itself to improve work-life balance and reprioritise mental health. Tactile hobbies also rise in popularity as these activities become a means to quiet the mind and be creative.
(Source: Google Trends- Search traffic shows an increase in search of the term “loneliness”)
Plenty of studies have been conducted correlating the rising use of social media to an increase in feeling of loneliness. In extreme cases such as in Japan, there are more than half a million people under 40 who haven’t left their house or interacted with anyone for at least six months. Now, more that ever brands are doing their part to help consumers move from isolation into connection, come together and feel better, all in bid to help them feel less lonely.
Trend: Kidult Connect
There has been a rising trend in businesses and activities supporting social play as a way for consumers to connect via group games. Bouncy castles, ball pits, escape rooms; these games build in physical movement, but at the core offer both nostalgia and play as a meaningful way that facilitates connections though fun activities. Playing games that are typically for children takes consumers back to a nostalgic past where adults get to escape the pressure and responsibilities of real life.
The Fragment Room is Singapore’s first rage room. Its positioned as a space for visitors to get rid of their inner frustrations and treat themselves to the most exciting anger therapy in the market.
There has been a rising trend in businesses and activities supporting social play as a way for consumers to connect via group games.
Bouncy castles, ball pits, escape rooms; these games are built in physical movement, but at the core offer both nostalgia and play as a meaningful way to facilitate connections through fun activities.
Playing games that are typically for children takes consumers back to a nostalgic past where adults get to escape the pressure and responsibilities of real life.
What’s Next?
Brands should consider the kidult connection that their brand can bring to consumers and leverage on nostalgia as a part of the marketing efforts.
In leveraging emotional marketing brands can gain better brand recall while making their way into a consumer’s heart.
Consider offline / online events that can help consumers connect while fully immersing in a brand.
Trend: Classic Reinvention
Time and again, businesses have gone back in time to search their past for inspiration.
Products of yesteryear are renewed and reinvigorated into modern day context, breathing both new life into brands and renewed interest from consumers.
Connecting to their own past allows brands to engage customers, or customers from past who have since shifted the purchase decisions and brand loyalty.
What’s Next?
Brands can and should reconsider reinventing classic successes into today’s new age norm. This can be done by equipping them with modern-day features and appeal them to today’s consumers.
TREND: into tactile
In the digital age where everything has been placed online, brands turn to tactile experiences – leveraging on the sense of touch to incite emotions that appeal to consumers of today.
Tactile experiences encourage play, collaboration and creativity; experiences that consumers relish to feel more regularly in the digital age.
(Source: Brothers Brick- Lego Forma toys)
LEGO® FORMA is a premium LEGO experience designed for adults looking for a fun, engaging way to reconnect with their creative side.
What’s Next?
Brands who have a strong footing with tactile experiences can consider how they can create experience that will enhance what consumers are looking for, or lacking in the modern day context.
Much of the modern and developed consumers spend their time on screen, tactile experience bring them away and into the world of connecting by touch.
To learn more about how you can use nostalgia in your brand or jump on these past trends, get in touch with us!
