Between political divisiveness, climate change, terrorism and nuclear escalation, it's easy to feel grim about the state of the world. An easy escape from the misery of modern life is to slip into the past, and immerse yourself in reminders of times that were less complicated, more innocent and more fun. And brands across many categories from phones, to photographs, to food and technology are capitalizing on this trend as a way to bolster brand affinity and provide a much needed escape from the drudgery.
Beauty
Doll Face Beauty, ran by a husband, wife and son team, are injecting a dose of old world glamor into the world of beauty. Doll Face describes its products as adding 'a touch of glamor in an otherwise intimidating category'. They reject talking about medicine and problems, and instead double down on beauty, charm, inspired by the Hollywood sirens of the past. The pastel packaging is feminine and alluring, while the products has even added an innovative twist to staples of the past, like cold cream. Their modernized version removed all the harmful ingredients (like parabens and mineral oils) and created a flexible 5-in-1 product that suits the needs of today's busy women. Co-Founder Lisa Winarick says, "Hollywood sirens of yesteryear and boss babes of today are both a combination of femininity and strength. Think Hepburn's moxie and Jennifer Lawrence's totally outrageous appeal. They're bold and powerful, each representative of their era".
Appliances
Smeg appliances have managed to turn boring kitchen staples into works or art, proudly displayed on the kitchen counter. They were the first homewares company to partner with famous designers and architects in order to elevate their items from appliance to art. Their 2016 retro range took classic items like toasters, blenders, and gave them a 50's feel, complete with a pastel color palette. The range has performed exceptionally well, as it merges two trends millennials are so fond of: retro and home cooking.
Vinyl
In a world where we have millions of songs at our fingertips, alongside the ubiquity of services like Spotify, Youtube and Soundcloud, it defies logic to begin a business selling vinyl records. However, VNYL have done just that, and with great success. The company, launched in 2015, sells affordable vinyl players, and offers a subscription service ($24 a month) that will send you 3 records a month, based on your taste profile. Founder Nick Alt, describes the service as 'old-school Netflix' and launched the company after a successful Kickstarter campaign. Vinyl forces you to really hear and interact with the music you listen to, which for many who are used to listening to what they want, when they want it, is a welcome change in how they consumer their tunes.
Gaming
Nintendo have jumped aboard the nostalgia trend by releasing a mini version of the Classic Nintendo Entertainment System, in all its former glory. The set comes with 30 original games and transports gamers into a different world, and a different time. The games retailed at $79.99, and sold out at Best Buy and Gamestop. Consequently, their purchase price skyrocketed to $13,000 on eBay. As president and CEO Reggie Fils-Aime says, "We wanted to give fans of all ages the opportunity to revisit Nintendo's original system and rediscover why they fell in love with Nintendo in the first place".