Communication Today, 2020, Vol. 11, No. 2 Ing. Mária Holotová, PhD. Faculty of Economics and Management Slovak University of Agriculture RETRO MARKETING – Trieda A. Hlinku 2 949 76 Nitra Slovak Republic A POWER [email protected] Mária Holotová is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Marketing and Trade at the Faculty of Economics OF NOSTALGIA WHICH and Management, SUA in Nitra. She gives lectures related to marketing communication, managerial communication, consumer behaviour, sustainability in food industry and CSR. She has cooperated with the WORKS AMONG Slovak Agricultural and Food Chamber, evaluating and participating in several projects. Her scientific and research activities, as well as the works she has published in foreign and domestic conference proceedings, scholarly journals and monographs, reflect on the above-mentioned issues and topics she is interested in. THE AUDIENCE Ing. Zdenka Kádeková, PhD. Mária HOLOTOVÁ – Zdenka KÁDEKOVÁ – Faculty of Economics and Management Slovak University of Agriculture Ingrida KOŠIČIAROVÁ Trieda A. Hlinku 2 949 76 Nitra ABSTRACT: Slovak Republic The nostalgia behind historic brands and trends is definitely making large waves in the consumer market. With [email protected] a good idea, even the most modern company can engage in a retro revolution. Studies suggest that nostalgia encourages consumers to spend their money by promising an immediate return in the form of happy memories. Zdenka Kádeková is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Marketing and Trade, Faculty of Economics The reason why retro marketing has become increasingly popular in recent years is the linking of the brand and Management, SUA in Nitra. Her lecturing activities are focused on marketing, marketing communication, and the customer at a deeper, emotional level. Brands, especially those that served as milestones of a particular managerial communication, commercial business, social networks and consumer behaviour. She is also generation should design a heart-warming nostalgia marketing strategy to make a product appeal to a target a lecturer of MBA study at the FEM SUA in Nitra. Her scholarly works are aimed mainly at the marketing market. Lots of organisations are falling back into retro marketing as a strategy to increase sales and they communication field, especially at the relations between PR and CSR in food industry. She publishes in foreign are raking in profits. The aim of the study is to present the relevance and possibilities of using ‘retro trend’ in and domestic conference proceedings, scientific journals and monographs. marketing communication and to point out the power of nostalgia between different age generations. In this scholarly article, examples of retro-communication of global and local food brands are presented. The current marketing situation is described by outcomes of similar studies provided by professional agencies, and economic Ing. Ingrida Košičiarová, PhD. benefits concerning retro communication campaigns are also provided. In order to meet the objectives of Faculty of Economics and Management the study, our own research was conducted (530 respondents from the Slovak Republic belonging to Generations Slovak University of Agriculture Z, Millennials, Generation X and Baby Boomers were involved in the research). The research findings confirmed Trieda A. Hlinku 2 the significance of retro marketing communication and its impact on consumers attitudes between the above- 949 76 Nitra mentioned age generations. For statistical processing of the results, we used the Kruskal-Wallis Test, Dunn’s Slovak Republic Test of Contrasts, Fisher’s Exact Test and Chi-Square Test of Independence. [email protected] KEY WORDS: Ingrida Košičiarová is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Marketing and Trade, Faculty of Economics brand, consumer behaviour, marketing communication, nostalgia, retro marketing and Management, SUA in Nitra. She teaches various marketing and management courses in Slovak and English (her specialisation includes retailing and merchandising, management of trading companies, managerial communication and international trade), two modules at the MBA studies focusing on marketing and marketing communication. Her scientific and research activities are aimed at communication policy as Introduction well as private labels. She publishes her works reflecting on these issues and topics in foreign and domestic conference proceedings, scientific journals and monographs. There exist many stimuli influencing consumer behaviour, which refers to the study of the buying tendencies of consumers. Various factors, be it cultural, social, personal or psychological, influence the buying decisions of 148 Research Studies Communication Today individuals.1 In today’s highly competitive marketplace, nostalgia in advertising can allow both new and old brands When something can create an emotional connection, we are much more likely to act. Simply put, to connect with their audience on a powerful emotional level. Nostalgia gives our lives a sense of continuity and re-living positive memories from the past makes us feel good, and brands who can create these ‘blast from meaning as we get older. Marketers have sensed the opportunity and turned nostalgia into a powerful marketing tool. the past’ feelings with their marketing have a greater chance of reaching consumers on an emotional level, Studies suggest that nostalgia inspires consumers to spend their money because it promises an immediate return especially Millennials.13 Millennials grew up in an age where the Internet became the new way of life and are in the form of happy memories and comfort. This is why nostalgia marketing campaigns have grown increasingly often called the ‘Net Generation’.14 Technology also plays a factor in the dividing lines between generations. popular in recent years, as brands begin to discover the value of connecting with their customers on a more in-depth, Serafino gives an example that the oldest ‘Post-Millennial’ members would have been 10 when the iPhone was emotional level.2 For marketers, nostalgia can have an extremely powerful emotional hold on an audience. When introduced, whereas many Millennials will still have memories of landlines, touch-tones, and rotary phones.15 used appropriately, it can become a powerful part of a marketing strategy. Nostalgia in marketing, then, means using The technological advancements we have experienced since the 1980s are nothing short of incredible, and the themes or products from the past in current marketing strategy to create a unique emotional feeling in customers.3 Millennial generation had the opportunity to experience this revolution in full, witnessing everything from Retro marketing is about using nostalgia for the past to make a modern product more attractive. It the rise of social media to virtual reality becoming a standard part of our everyday lives.16 And because of these involves creating a brand identity based on heritage or nostalgia for a company’s past products. Today, ‘retro’ changes, Millennials love to reminisce and recall how things ‘used to be’. Millennials raised with the Internet has a strong influence on almost all aspects of retail. Retailers follow the trend of retro marketing and offer have had full access to pop culture artefacts from before they were born, and many feel nostalgic about these traditional products in retro-designed packaging to attract customers.4 Retro can draw from any past decade things as though they actually experienced them. This is why nostalgia marketing is so effective on this group. to create a new perspective on an old look.5 The positive aspect is that a company that has not been on the When brands add a dose of nostalgia to their campaigns, Millennials instantly get excited and are more likely market for decades can take advantage of the power of a retro marketing strategy. The only keys to success to discuss, share, and even purchase a product because of this feeling.17 are emotions, nostalgia, and at the same time the power to offer something new, unrecognized, yet inherently The companies use retro-style in marketing communication, both on local and global levels. In the case descended from the past.6 In an era of impersonal digital media, the values are reduced to a minimum or of local marketing campaigns, the reference to the past is often connected with underlining local authenticity, completely lost,7 so building social connectivity through nostalgia is more than welcome. Retro marketing is history and tradition. In the case of global brands, retro-campaigns are used specially to emphasise the brand’s not only an opportunity to return to the past for older people, but also a means of knowledge for the younger special character, its history and timeless values. The objectives of these retro-campaigns are focused on the generations, which gives them a picture of an unknown past. Nostalgia is really a powerful tool and if is used development of the brand equity and reinforcement of the brand image.18 The Coca-Cola Company celebrated correctly it can be beneficial to the business.8 its 125th year of existence in 2011 through a series of events and celebrations in over 200 countries where it The postmodern nostalgia is a celebration of easily accessible and collectible styles of the past. It is no operates. Coca Cola’s celebration included a retrospective TV ad, outdoor ads, online ‘Retro Poster Maker’ longer about irrecoverable loss, but about the found, about discovery and enjoyment.9 Nostalgia marketing and iconic graphics on-pack. Each element of the campaign was influenced by the brand’s rich and iconic practices in social media help brands link consumers with happier times from the past.10 Furthermore, heritage over the decades, bringing to life its enduring appeal and celebrating 125 years of offering happiness we identify that nostalgic feelings in advertising are effective because they generate positive feelings of in a bottle to consumers.19 The retro style of this campaign helped to underline intangible values related to this youthfulness that in turn result in positive attitudes toward the ad.11 global brand, universal all over the world (Figure 1).