Adaily Inspiration Week #17: Best nostalgia campaigns
Adaily Inspiration is a weekly newsletter containing 5 inspiring ads from our full 3,000 database of winning campaigns.
For this week we chose campaigns for “nostalgia” campaigns. Below you can find our 5 picks, but if you want to see more just click direct link to query » HERE «
1. “Jimmy Dean's 50Th Anniversary” - Tyson
Jimmy Dean did a campaign using famous 50th anniversaries to recreate iconic moments and showcase their breakfast products.
Ogilvy Chicago • 2019 • Other food • United States • North America
Challenge
The challenge of this campaign for Ogilvy Chicago was to find a unique and compelling way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jimmy Dean and make the brand stand out amidst other significant events happening in 1969. They aimed to create engaging visuals that would seamlessly integrate the Jimmy Dean product into iconic moments, while still maintaining the authenticity and historical accuracy of the original scenes. The team had to meticulously recreate the environments and ensure that the Jimmy Dean product was seamlessly integrated into each photograph.
Target Group
The target group for this campaign was likely breakfast consumers, particularly those who were familiar with the Jimmy Dean brand and its products. The campaign aimed to capture the attention of both existing customers and potential new ones by leveraging the nostalgia and cultural significance of iconic moments from 1969.
Idea
The main idea of the campaign was to highlight Jimmy Dean's presence during significant moments in American history, in order to emphasize the brand's longstanding presence and relevance in the breakfast market. The campaign aimed to leverage well-known events and iconic imagery from 1969, such as NASA's moon landing and the Woodstock music festival, by recreating these scenes to include someone eating Jimmy Dean products. The campaign's goal was to establish a connection between Jimmy Dean and the larger cultural context of 1969, positioning the brand as a familiar and trusted presence in American breakfast routines.
Results
The results of the campaign were highly successful. The unique concept of hijacking famous anniversaries helped to generate buzz and capture the attention of the target audience. The recreated scenes, featuring someone eating Jimmy Dean breakfast products, effectively showcased the brand's presence during iconic moments in history. The campaign's print ads, prominently featured in TIME and Rolling Stone magazine, reached a wide audience and further enhanced brand visibility. Overall, the campaign successfully created a strong association between Jimmy Dean breakfast products and significant historical events, boosting brand recognition and engagement.
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2. “Deals Stuck In Time” - McDonald’s
McDonald's did a campaign called "Deals Stuck in Time" using Google Street View as a time portal to bring back old offers and apply them when ordering in the McDonald's app.
Nord DDB Stockholm • 2022 • QSR • Sweden • Europe
Challenge
The challenge of this campaign was to find a creative way to highlight McDonald's past deals and offers, while also engaging customers and driving them to the McDonald's app. By utilizing Google Street View and allowing users to "time travel" to old McDonald's billboards, the campaign aimed to create a nostalgic and fun experience for customers while also encouraging them to take advantage of current deals.
Target Group
The target group of the campaign "Deals Stuck in Time" by McDonald's in Sweden was likely consumers of all ages who are familiar with McDonald's and interested in finding good deals. The campaign aimed to engage and entertain customers by offering them the opportunity to "time travel" and bring back past offers from old McDonald's advertisements found on Google Street View.
Idea
The main idea of the campaign was to bring back old McDonald's offers and allow people to "time travel" to access those deals. The campaign used Google Street View to locate old McDonald's billboards from as far back as 2009 and offered users the opportunity to bring back the offer to the present and apply it when ordering through the McDonald's app. The campaign aimed to provide customers with good prices and offers, while also creating a fun and unique experience.
Results
The results of the campaign were as follows: - 860 outdoor ads were located and displayed in various locations. - Over 843,000 users participated in the "time travels" by finding and accessing the old McDonald's offers on Google Street View. - More than 32,000 deals were claimed by users and brought back to the present on the campaign site. - The campaign generated over 12 million impressions through various advertising channels, including DOOH, OOH, film, audio, and social media.
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3. “Trapped In The 90s” - IKEA
IKEA did a reality show campaign called "Trapped in the 90's" to celebrate their 25th anniversary in Spain, showcasing how their products have revolutionized homes since 1996.
McCann Madrid • 2022 • Retail - furniture • Spain • Europe
Challenge
The challenge of this campaign was to celebrate IKEA's 25th anniversary in Spain by creating a branded content campaign that blurs the line between reality, fiction, and advertising. The goal was to showcase how IKEA's products have transformed Spanish homes since its arrival in 1996 by immersing a group of contestants in a house from the past, where they had to survive without the modern conveniences provided by IKEA. The challenge was to create a humorous and engaging reality show format that effectively promotes the brand's products while entertaining the audience.
Target Group
The target group of the campaign was the generation born after 1996, commonly referred to as "IKEA natives," who have grown up with the brand's home solutions and have never known life without them. This generation represents a key demographic for IKEA in Spain.
Idea
The main idea of this campaign was to celebrate IKEA's 25th anniversary in Spain by showcasing how IKEA's products have revolutionized and transformed Spanish homes since its arrival in 1996. Through a reality show format, the campaign aimed to highlight the before and after impact of IKEA's design solutions in a humorous and entertaining way. The show, called "Trapped in the 90's," featured contestants who had to live in a house designed to replicate the style and aesthetics of the 90's, experiencing the inconveniences and limitations of that era's home furnishings. The incorporation of IKEA's new products into the show provided a contrast to emphasize the brand's influence and how it has become an integral part of modern homes in Spain.
Results
The "Trapped in the 90's" campaign by McCann for IKEA's 25th anniversary in Spain was a huge success. The campaign, which blurred the line between reality, fiction, and advertising, resonated with the audience and received positive feedback. According to Laura Durán, the marketing and insights director for IKEA in Spain, it was the most successful branded content campaign they have ever done, with every metric performing exceptionally well. The show, which portrayed a group of contestants surviving in a house from the past, showcased how IKEA's products have transformed Spanish homes since its arrival in 1996. Overall, the campaign successfully engaged the audience and deepened their connection with the IKEA brand.
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4. “Building Memories” - Lego
Socialab did the "Building Memories" campaign for LEGO, using the twist of highlighting the painful experience of stepping on a LEGO brick barefoot to emphasize the brand value of creating joyful family memories while building with LEGO bricks.
Socialab • 2018 • Toys • Greece • Europe
Challenge
The challenge of this campaign was to create emotional bonds between the audience and the LEGO brand, showing that by building LEGO bricks, fun and joyful memories are built for the whole family. The campaign needed to emphasize the brand values and connect with parents, who are the target audience. Additionally, the campaign needed to stand out in a competitive toy market and generate high levels of awareness, shareability, and virality.
Target Group
The target group of this campaign was parents, specifically modern heroes who are responsible for building memories with their families.
Idea
The main idea of the campaign was to create emotional bonds between the audience and the LEGO brand by highlighting the struggles and fun moments of parenthood through the tagline "Building Memories." The campaign aimed to show that by building LEGO bricks, families create joyful and lasting memories together. The key insight was the widely shared experience of stepping on a LEGO brick barefoot, which was used to create a humorous and relatable video that resonated with parents. The campaign leveraged Facebook and YouTube, as well as digital PR with mom influencers, to increase visibility and virality. The creative execution emphasized the pain of stepping on a LEGO, followed by the uplifting emotional connection that LEGO building brings to families. The campaign was successful in reaching and surpassing its initial goals, generating high levels of awareness, shareability, and virality. It was also recognized by international sites and honored as one of the top ad campaigns of July 2018.
Results
The campaign achieved its objectives and delivered strong results. In just 10 days, the campaign reached and surpassed its initial goals, reaching over 600,000 people and achieving a viral reach of 100,000 through organic shares. The digital video generated over 700,000 views and received 6,500 engagement reactions, including 800 shares without the presence of a contest. The campaign also garnered significant attention and recognition, with over 100 international sites publishing the campaign and being honored as one of the top 6 ad campaigns of July 2018 by BestAdsOnTv.com. Overall, the campaign successfully attracted the interest of the target audience, generating high levels of awareness, shareability, and virality.
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5. “Be Kind, Rewind” - Airbnb
Airbnb did a nostalgic marketing campaign by hosting an overnight sleepover at the last Blockbuster store in Bend, Oregon.
Weber Shandwick San Francisco • 2020 • Hotel • United States • North America
Challenge
The challenge of this campaign was to create a unique and nostalgic experience for Airbnb guests while also highlighting the last remaining Blockbuster store. The goal was to generate buzz and media attention by offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend the night in a retail relic and relive the 90s blockbuster movie rental experience. By capturing the essence of the era and providing guests with a chance to indulge in classic movies and video games, Airbnb aimed to create a memorable and highly sought-after experience.
Target Group
The target group of this campaign was nostalgic adults who grew up in the 1990s and have fond memories of visiting Blockbuster video stores. These individuals are likely to appreciate the opportunity to relive their childhood memories and experience the unique atmosphere of a Blockbuster store.
Idea
The main idea of this campaign is for Airbnb to host a unique overnight stay at the last remaining Blockbuster video store in Bend, Oregon. Three lucky guests will be able to spend a night in the store, surrounded by '90s-era VHS movies, classic video games, and nostalgic snacks. The aim is to provide a nostalgic and fun experience for guests, allowing them to relive the memories of visiting a Blockbuster store.
Results
The results of the Airbnb sleepover party at the last Blockbuster video store were highly successful. The event generated a lot of attention and media coverage, showcasing the nostalgia and excitement surrounding the iconic retail chain. The three available slots for overnight stays were quickly booked, with lucky guests experiencing a blast from the past as they indulged in classic VHS movies and video games. The event brought back memories for many people, reminding them of the joy and simplicity of browsing through physical movie rentals. Overall, the campaign generated positive publicity for both Airbnb and Blockbuster, demonstrating the enduring appeal of a bygone era.
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