Remember the buzz of unboxing those footy boots, the ones you swore would make you play like a pro?

The endless summer nights playing curby, only heading in when your name was bellowed down the street?

That first taste of a warm, questionably legal corner shop lager, convinced it was the taste of freedom?

Nostalgia isn’t just a memory. It’s muscle memory. And in the world of marketing, it can be a cheat code.

And when everyone is fixated on the next big thing, it’s can often be the echoes of the past that cut through the noise.

That’s the magic of nostalgia.

But let’s be clear, it’s not about just looking back for looking back sake. It’s about looking back and finding a spark to trigger positive emotions with consumers.

So, in the spirit of nostalgia here’s x3 ways brands ran it back:

Campaign | Adidas x Man Utd: You can’t beat an Original 

Adidas and Manchester United’s 3rd kit launch was about more than just gear, it was a love letter to football and the club.

A nostalgic tribute to the club’s glory days, legends of past and present and their legendary training ground, The Cliff. All set to the iconic 90’s soundtrack of Born Slippy by Underworld.

Things might not be rosy on or off the pitch for the club, but this one takes us straight back to the golden era under Sir Alex Ferguson,  when the Red Devils were unstoppable.

Packaging |Matheson Food Co

Matty Matheson’s Matheson Food Co. is comfort food with a side order of serious nostalgia. Inspired by 1930’s pantry staples like mac and cheese and BBQ sauce, the vintage-inspired packaging designs aren’t just retro, they’re a time machine to simpler days.

Product | Berghaus: ICONS collection

Berghaus ICONS collection was more than nostalgic trip, it was a celebration of the brand’s deep connection to British culture in the 80s and 90s.

Reviving and reimagining beloved icons, from their Trango and Mera Peak jackets. The collection blended vintage aesthetics with modern sensibilities. And to really notch up the nostalgia, they even enlisted an icon of the 90s launch it.

Now here’s the play: nostalgia isn’t just for those who lived it.

Nearly 40% of Gen Z feel nostalgic for the ‘90s, not because they remember it, but because it represents something real, something different in the hyper-curated chaos of today.

Great brands don’t just revive the past. They reimagine it.

They take the moments, the icons, the aesthetics, and reimagine them for a new (and old) generation.

That’s why nostalgia-fueled campaigns don’t just land; they hit different. Studies show they make ads more relatable, forge deeper emotional bonds, and build lasting brand loyalty.

So whether it’s food, sport, or the outdoors, looking back isn’t about longing for what was. It’s about finding what still matters, and making it new again.

Ready to run it back?

Book a FREE 1-to-1 session and let’s turn nostalgia into your next brand advantage.