More than nostalgia: Why legacy brands must lead culture, not chase it

We are currently at a creative crossroads when it comes to legacy brands. Where once-heritage names relied on defensive marketing with strategies like promotional discounts, reactive trend-hopping, and superficial rebrands - with the likes of Amazon Prime and Ryanair springing to mind - we’re now seeing a welcome return to bold, identity-first creativity.

Nostalgia can improve mood, evoking the simplicity of childhood and anchoring us during periods of instability.

In an age of AI and automation, the brands that are winning hearts are those brave enough to rediscover their identity. At the heart of this shift? A powerful force that brands are finally learning to wield properly: nostalgia-driven creativity that activates audiences, not just consoles them.

In times of uncertainty, nostalgia offers comfort. It’s well-known that nostalgia can improve mood, evoking the simplicity of childhood and anchoring us during periods of instability.

Above: Gap’s new marketing embraces its heritage without becoming a caricature.

We look to the past to feel more hopeful about the future. And right now nostalgia is dominating culture; from Oasis to Pulp, Bridget Jones and the endless run of Disney live-action film remakes. Here, heritage brands have an opportunity to tune in.

Today’s consumers, especially Gen Z, want authenticity as well as familiarity.

But for brands, instead of bringing back the same ads from 10 years ago, today’s consumers, especially Gen Z, want authenticity as well as familiarity. They’re looking for something fresh and true to the moment: an original idea that bounces off that familiar emotional connection.

Above: Ribena’s recent campaign conjures memories of a happy, quintessentially British, childhood.

At this year’s Superbowl, Hellmann’s nodded to the wave of reboots and sequels with a play on the infamous When Harry Met Sally scene. The impact wasn’t just in the reference or the memory, it was tongue in cheek. Why shouldn’t we have what she’s having one more time? As long as brands can bring something new to the memory, there’s a chance to reignite old fans.

Legacy, after all, isn’t about looking back. It’s about looking deeper.

And for heritage brands, the challenge is to move beyond nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, but weaving a long-loved brand persona into new creative ideas. It’s about making consumers feel that joy afresh, a call to brands to make creativity great again.

adidas has nailed this with its Originals x Oasis collaboration. Timed perfectly with Oasis’s Live ‘25 tour, it’s a cultural flex. The campaign captured the spirit of Britpop rebellion, football roots, and 90s youth culture without feeling like cosplay.

Above: Hellmann’s recent Super Bowl spot brought a slightly new flavour of sauce to its refresh of the infamously saucy scene. 

Through storytelling, design and cultural timing, adidas activated memory in a way that made people not just reminisce, but act. They’re reinventing an era for modern fans. It’s a brilliant example of how rediscovering nostalgia can power multi-generational relevance and lead the culture through original creativity.

Ribena has also done something similar. Not content with being the drink you had in your lunchbox, it’s leaning into its quirky personality and national identity with unapologetic creativity. By reclaiming its playful charm with its ‘there’s no taste like home’ campaign, Ribena is acknowledging its roots in our childhoods while re-establishing itself as part of everyday British culture.