Brands Considered as “Nostalgic”: Consequences on Attitudes and Consumer-brand Relationships

Abstract

The aim of this study is to test the effects of differentiation between brands that are considered as nostalgic and those that are not, according to relationship and attitude variables vis-à-vis brands. It empirically verifies, in a sample of 613 consumers, the nostalgia-attachment link and integrates new variables such as self-brand connections or word-of-mouth communication which have not previously been considered in nostalgia research. It also measures preferences and the intention to purchase and make gifts of brands that evoke nostalgia. The ANOVA results show that the relationships and attitudes of consumers vis-à-vis brands considered as nostalgic are systematically stronger than for those that are not. This article therefore contributes to the identification of the variables relevant to the implementation of a brand strategy based on nostalgia.