Reel nostalgia: Why cinema works for brands’ seasonal stories

If we break down the advertising calendar like the structure of a film, then autumn and winter surely bring act three’s high-stakes climax. 

The year's later months are stacked with blockbuster moments: September’s back-to-school cameo, Halloween’s supporting role, Thanksgiving in the States, Black Friday’s double act and then, of course, the leading lady, Christmas.

Put simply, brands which engage with nostalgia become part of our cultural traditions.

For consumers, each of these seasonal moments stirs powerful memories and feeling of nostalgia. Where were you the first time you heard The Snowman’s Walking in the Air, or watched Scream’s iconic opening scene? (Me? Behind the sofa…) 

Above:Sainsbury's leaned into nostalgia and sentiment in their 2024 Christmas commercial. 

The brands that amplify these memories, rather than hijacking or interrupting them, earn real goodwill and relevance. Look at Sainsbury's 2024 festive TV spot, which leant on childhood charm via a BFG-driven story. In the weeks following the broadcast, the supermarket celebrated its “biggest-ever Christmas sales”.

Put simply, brands which engage with nostalgia become part of our cultural traditions. What would the countdown to Christmas be without the reveal of the latest John Lewis ad or the Coca-Cola truck? It’s time to turn these shared moments into lasting brand love. And what better stage to harness nostalgia-driven storytelling than the cinema?

Act one: Why cinema wins

2025 has, so far, brought a wave of wistful box-office success. Moviegoers flocked back to cinemas for treasured IPs like Minecraft Movie and reboots like 28 Years Later, driving an 18% year-on-year increase in box office returns. These familiar, crowd-pleasing stories resonate across generations and have marked a strong sector recovery. 

Put simply, brands which engage with nostalgia become part of our cultural traditions.

The return of the beloved Bridget Jones universe with Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy saw an explosion of brand activity; Waitrose teased the release of a bright-blue leek and potato soup, a nod to the character’s infamously disastrous home cooking skills, and dessert brand Gü launched a popular campaign based upon Mark Darcy’s legendary confession: “I like you, just as Gü are.” 

According to Kantar, these nostalgia-based ads have a +13% higher likelihood of going viral, and their impact only highlights cinema as the perfect setting to bring brands to life. 

Above: Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy saw the return of an early 2000s icon. 

Act two: Cinema's recall and engagement

Nostalgia only works when audiences are fully tuned in and, despite the rise of streaming-only film content and the introduction of ad-supported subscriptions, the efficacy of digital ads pales in comparison to those in the cinema. We also know from our FAME survey that 94% of UK cinema-goers are usually seated before anything is shown on screen providing the ultimate opportunity to see (OTS) for brand messaging.

Nostalgia only works when audiences are fully tuned in.

At Pearl & Dean we are seeing growing interest - and sell-out success - around immersive experiences, and brands have the opportunity to deliver activations that go beyond the big screen, especially when tied to nostalgic seasonal events. Christmas 2025 sees the release of Christmas Karma, a British musical directed by Gurinder Chadha (creator of Bend It Like Beckham) which is a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and sets the scene for a new festive classic that drives nostalgia for generations to come.