When it comes to trends, what goes around comes around. Trends will invariably repeat themselves once enough time has passed for them to become 'In Vogue'again. This is true across the board, from fashion and interiors to music and lifestyle choices. The recession has forced a lot of us to turn back to simpler, more frugal times for inspiration and advice on how to get by when the going gets rough.
Advertising executives have latched onto this new way of thinking by re-launching adverts and packaging from days gone by to evoke a certain nostalgia amongst their old customer base and to open doors to alternative eras to the younger generation.
Here are three of the best examples of nostalgic branding which have come back around in recent times
Fairy Liquid
Fairy marked its 50th anniversary with a montage of its TV adverts across the decades and a re-launch of the classic white and green plastic bottle. Almost everyone past a certain age will have memories attached to the dependable bottle of Fairy, think Blue Peter craft projects, water fights, home-made rockets, squirty paint containers or even just the image of Grandma at her sink, mop in hand. Fairy is as synonymous with the English kitchen as the Sunday roast.
Milky Way
The red car and the blue car had a race. Yep we all remember this one, and what a thrill it was when it suddenly appeared on our telly boxes again a few months back. Fun, childlike and yet still getting the all-important product information across, Milky Way couldn't really improve on this classic. Smart old Blue he took the Milky Way.
Aquafresh
We want blue stripes, we want white
We want the red stripes, but that's alright
As you can see Aquafresh is all three
Aquafresh is for the family
Aquafresh did the same as Milky Way and simply re-broadcasted an old favourite, with the odd digital tweak and a new voiceover. This ad which originated in the 1980's is a charming and wholesome way of getting across Aquafresh's unique three stripe selling point.
Re-hashed vintage campaigns for drinks companies have also become very popular with Diageo re-launching a whole host of retro advertising for Guinness including the iconic toucan campaign from the 1950's. Phillips Distillery also launched its 'Bonafide Originals'recently, a limited edition roll-out of Phillip's most memorable brands from the 30's to the 70's including Peppermint Schnapps, Gin-Ka, Sno Shoe Grog and Phillips original Vodka.
As well as being a cunning way of saving revenue, reviving old advertising campaigns reminds the consumer of a brand's longevity, which may well lure wandering customers back to the old family favourites. So what are you waiting for? Dig out those old mood boards and send the basic message back into the ether!
By Jessica Hazel, freelancer, [email protected]
