Proceedings of the 44th International Academic Conference, Vienna

DO RETRO ADS DIFFER IN THEIR CHARACTERISTICS FROM NON-RETRO ADS?

SUBODH BHAT, SASHA MIRCOV

Abstract:

Retro culture is very popular among young consumers and therefore marketers have been targeting them with retro ads. However, very little is known about the characteristics of retro ads and how they affect young people. We argue that retro ads do not have the same characteristics as nostalgic ads as nostalgia is mainly felt by older consumers who have lived through the eras or experiences shown in those ads. Young consumers would not have directly experienced these situations. In this study, young consumers in the U.S. were shown both retro ads and very similar non-retro ads. The youth did not differentiate between retro ads and non-retro ads even on characteristics typically identified with retro such as artistic and ironic. However, unlike non-retro ads, retro ads helped them recall the past and made them feel nostalgic. At the same time, retro ads and non-retro ads evoked similar pleasant feelings.

Keywords: Retro culture Advertising Ad characteristics Nostalgia

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2018.044.007

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