Have you spotted the recent campaign from Waitrose, featuring famous noughties pop band S Club running around a supermarket shop floor causing havoc? Or just a week before, the delightfully camp ad campaign from Lidl, with Love Actually actress Martine McCutcheon belting out — in true karaoke fashion — a playful spin on the famous nineties pop hit ‘Ooh Aah… Just a Little (Lidl) Bit’?
In a time when consumers are bombarded with advertising, these campaigns have generated a lot of media attention and consumer reaction. They are also unashamedly light-hearted and nostalgic, tapping into iconic stars from the pop culture of yesteryear (seemingly the nineties!) to add something new and fun. There are a lot of lessons here for brands and agencies to leverage when it comes to building out their creative campaigns. There often seems to be an obsession with newness, regeneration and reinvention — however, sometimes something known, and comforting is what draws people in.
In fact, in a study last year from insights agency Hall & Partners, 81% of Brits said they enjoy things that remind them of the past. And nostalgia isn’t just for consumers who have experienced the period in question — data from GWI reveals that over a third of Gen Z are nostalgic for the nineties, despite the majority being born in the 2000s.
Gone with the (Re)wind
When you think about it, the movie industry has been capitalising on this longing for the past for a long time. Remakes are rife in the film business and there’s a reason for this — familiar stories and beloved characters always capture the hearts and minds of audiences, no matter what age they are.
From Superman to Bridget Jones and Jurassic World, there’s a plethora of films due for release in 2025 that harness well-loved stories and characters. For example, first launched on our TV screens in the 1980s, in July we’ll see the return of the funny little blue creatures that live in mushroom-shaped houses, as the Smurfs return in a new musical film.
And there’s an opportunity here for advertisers to tap into the legacy and nostalgic appeal of these characters for their own campaigns. Think about the different identities of all the Smurfs, from Smurfette to Chef Smurf and Baby Smurf — any one of these could be an ambassador for your brand and there are multiple opportunities to tie them in through a playful advertising campaign or film partnership that is authentic to both your brand and the mood of the film. A great example of a similar film partnership was between Barbie and Boots’ suncare brand, Soltan last year. Barbie as a character has been synonymous for decades with sun, scenery and convertibles and Boots was able to harness these characteristics in its marketing by partnering her with its suncare brand to help encourage families to protect their skin during the summer break.
‘Play it again, Sam…’
But brands aren’t limited to using characters or stars to help them capture the attention of consumers in an entertaining and engaging way.
Queen is one of the most enduring and beloved bands of the 20th century, and when the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic was released, it was an opportunity to make Queen’s music the showstopper in its marketing activity. Pearl & Dean’s ident and instantly-recognisable Asteroid theme (‘Pa-pa, pa-pa, pa-pahhhh … pa!’) had a makeover, rebranding as ‘Pearl & Queen’, playing in cinemas and remixed by Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor. It was an inventive take on something familiar that also evoked excitement and anticipation in the audience for the upcoming release.
And there’s huge opportunity for advertisers to capitalise on the power of film soundtracks in their own marketing activity, too. Earlier this year, the black comedy film Saltburn made Sophie Ellis Bextor’s song Murder on the Dancefloor a chart-topping hit once again. And with a buzz around a song, brands can tap into film soundtracks and add their own twist to some well-known tunes and show-stopping performances.
Waitrose and Lidl’s recent campaigns are an example of how well-known brands can have a bit of fun in their advertising campaigns to stand out from competitors be memorable. A way of doing this in an entertaining way is by tapping into our love for nostalgia via collaborations with beloved stars and pop culture trends. And with a string of nostalgic films on the horizon — from The Karate Kid: Legends to Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy —there’s an endless opportunity for brands to capitalise on these existing fanbases and reach new customers in an engaging and relatable way.
But we know that the masters at adding a new twist to something old are the movies. And with so many films with beloved characters heading to cinemas next year —this is an opportunity for brands to think creatively about how they can leverage these characters —or what makes these films and stories so special —for their own advertising and marketing activity.
Featured image: (Ooh Aah) Just a Lidl Bit / Lidl (YouTube)