On Friday afternoon, after a week of speaking engagements across three different states, I was running a little low on energy as I walked into the Qantas lounge in Sydney.
Reluctantly resisting the bar (after the week I’d had I could have downed a shiraz in record time) I walked over to the tea station and as I started making myself an Earl Grey, reflecting on the week and and daydreaming about being back in my own bed in a few hours, I found myself staring off into space. As the hot water was pouring, I was mesmerised, but not by the steam. I found myself fixated on the cookie jar next to the coffee machine. A giant glass jar full of golden biscuits.
There it was … the Monte Carlo. Without thinking, I picked up the tongs and carefully tweezered one out like it was treasure. I walked to my seat, tea in one hand, biscuit in the other, completely oblivious to the fact that I was about to munch into a sugary biscuit that had its heyday in the 80’s. Halfway through eating it, I came to. I realised I was eating a biscuit and suddenly dropped it onto a plate. I NEVER eat biscuits, so why on earth was I eating one? Surely it was just a fatique- fuelled sugar craving. But I wasn’t after sugar. I wasn’t even hungry. I was after comfort, but not the sweet kind.
It was nostalgia.
The last time I had a Monte Carlo? 45 years ago, at my grandmother’s kitchen table. That white and green swirled melamine table was a sacred space where little hands could reach endlessly into the biscuit jar without restriction. A visit to Grandma’s meant roast dinners, Arnott’s biscuits, and warm, unhurried hugs. Exactly what I wanted at this moment after a crazy week, chaotic travel schedule and a decent dose of mum guilt for being away.
It got me thinking: in times of fatigue, disconnection, or stress, we instinctively turn to the familiar. That’s the power of nostalgia. And it’s a potent, underutilised tool for brands and customer experience leaders.
Why Nostalgia Works: The Science Behind the Feeling
Psychologically, nostalgia is known to regulate and envoke emotions. It counteracts loneliness, bolsters our sense of identity, and helps us feel more connected. Neuroscience backs this up: nostalgic memories activate brain regions linked to reward and emotional regulation, triggering the release of feel-good chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin.
In short, nostalgia doesn’t just make us feel good, it makes us feel safe. That’s exactly the kind of emotional resonance brands should aim to create.
But this isn’t about superficial throwbacks. True nostalgia in branding must be authentic, emotionally intelligent, and respectful of the customer’s lived experience.
It can look like:
- Reviving heritage packaging or campaigns, but with modern relevance
- Creating sensory experiences that tap into shared cultural memory
- Encouraging customers to share their own stories of “when I first…”
- Balancing past and present to show you honour the old while embracing the new
Done well, nostalgia doesn’t look backwards, it grounds us, even as we move forward.
