Nostalgia Marketing

Why Nostalgia Marketing Works (Especially in 2025)

From velour tracksuits to flip phones, noughties culture is officially having a moment - and it’s dominating our feeds.

But this isn’t just a TikTok trend.
It’s a strategic shift.

Nostalgia is becoming a key driver of emotional engagement - especially among Gen Z and younger Millennials, who are rediscovering the early 2000’s with fresh eyes.  And the data backs it up:

·      Vampire Diaries has inspired over 2 million TikTok videos

·      38% of the UK’s top TikTok tracks are over five years old

·      Search interest in Y2K aesthetics is at an all-time high

Brands are taking note. And it’s working:

·      McDonald’s revived Beanie Babies and retro Happy Meals

·      Nike brought back its Dunk SBs with VHS-style visuals.

·      Spotify launched Rewind Rooms, helping users relive their soundtrack by year.

So why does nostalgia cut through? Because it’s emotional, comforting and relatable. In a world that’s fast, loud, and hyper-digital, nostalgia gives audiences a reason to slow down, reminisce and re-engage. It connects the past to the present in a way that feels human.

Nostalgia is BACK and at TMC we are here for it! In fact, at a recent team night out we got our our phones and showed each other our old gaming tech. So, here's a little treat from us to you. Listen to this Spotify playlist named 2000's Nostalgia ->

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Q0VkM98EM9kRLMxTXq5wM

What's your nostalgic throwback or therapy?