We work in formats that are based in nostalgia. That’s a good thing, right? I mean, c’mon, it’s a perfect situation. The world is unsettled right now. Traditionally, in more turbulent times, people look to comfortable things, like the music we play on our stations. And according to a recent Brandwatch article, author Emily Smith says, “nostalgia throwbacks are shaping audience engagement.”
Smith writes primarily about the return of pop culture from the ‘00’s: the Twilight movies bringing sparkly vampires back to the big screen; My Chemical Romance going out on tour; last year’s resurgence of Tamagotchi’s. She points out that what drives nostalgia is that people who were kids in that era now have money to spend and big brands are aware and want to tap in.
That has always applied to Classic Rock, Classic Hits and Adult Hits. Original fans of this music have serious spending power. So do several generations of fans who have discovered the music over time since the original releases.
So, it seems like everything should be rosy for a group of nostalgia-friendly stations like ours. That’s it. Column over. Have a great week. Except for this Fast Company article with the headline, “Nostalgia is an Overrated Brand Strategy. Here’s What to do Instead.”
This post by Mike Perry, the founder and Chief Creative Officer at Tavern, a global creative agency, points out that tapping into nostalgia for marketing is a nice moment but it’s fleeting. “Nostalgia is novelty, and novelty, by definition, doesn’t last.” And since it’s an instant not a strategy and over-reliance on it can do more harm than good.
The difference, he says, is connection. He points to recent examples when the Coca Cola company focused on reviving Cherry Coke and Kellog’s in Canada went back to classic mascots to promote their breakfast cereals. Perry says both hit him in the feels for a minute, but then he moved on. Neither campaign told a story he could relate to or helped him bridge the gap between what the products were – which he remembers fondly – and what they are today.
Instead, he recommends the idea of focusing on “modern heritage”. That involves going into a brand’s history to uncover what made it resonate in the first place. Then, when you understand that, retool it for today. Don’t just bring back old stuff, make your brand’s history useful again.
An example is the recent rebranding of the restaurant chain Sizzler; a project Perry was an integral part of. It wasn’t about starting over, but working with what already existed including, “a family-first spirit, and a charming mid-century mascot.” Taking those elements and making them feel contemporary is different than just tapping into nostalgia. To do this for your brand Perry makes several suggestions including looking for the story not just the aesthetic. Every radio station has a story and generally there are listeners who are happy to tell you about it.
Maybe as we start to look ahead to 2026 it’s time to look back at what has mattered over the years for your station. Beyond the music consider talent, features, promotions, charity events, and anything else that listeners still talk to you about. Then consider how you can tap into those elements and contemporize them for today’s audience to convey important messages about the brand. That’s modern heritage and it’s much stronger than nostalgia.
OK. Now the column is over. Have a great week.
Mike Stern is a Classic Rock columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. He has been with Jacobs Media consulting stations in the Classic Rock, Rock, Alternative and AAA world for more than a decade. Prior to that he programmed stations in Chicago, Detroit, Denver Las Vegas and other markets. He also worked as News/Talk Editor for Radio and Records, wrote about Top 40 Radio for Billboard Magazine and had his own radio talent coaching business called Talent Mechanic.
