Remember when...
…we used to go to the pub, the cinema, rave in a field, jump around to our favourite band or see our friends and family. Nostalgia used to be things we remember from 20/30 years ago. Now it’s only 1!
All we can do right now during Covid is think about the good times in the past, when we could meet friends, dance, watch movies and live our lives. The sense of nostalgia we have for last year is as strong as something from 20 years ago.
But during Covid, ‘Corona-stalgia’ has helped us enjoy or relive those good times; and boy have we needed it. Warm, feel good memories and connections have helped us get through this tough period.
Trip down memory lane
TV shows like Cobra Kai, the Karate Kid series on Netflix, have pleased the older, original fans, whilst drawing in new, younger ones, clocking up over 73million views, and counting.
Spotify noticed a spike in streams of older bands like Toto, ELO and Queen, amongst others, as listeners found comfort in their old faves.
TV during the Summer gave us a wealth of retro performances with TV gameshow reboots, from Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow to Family Fortunes and Blankety Blank, plus re-runs of classic England football matches from Euro 96 and World Cup 66.
Even Burger King has gone back to ‘when it looked its best’ with a complete rebrand from the 90s.
During lockdown, live DJ streams have brought a wealth of 90s DJs into our living rooms, from the 24hour Hacienda takeovers to Human Traffic sets to Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco, and literally everyone with a set of decks in their bedroom, helping us replicate those club and festival vibes in our living rooms, and dance the day and night away at home.
Sure, the use of nostalgia is nothing new.
Comedians like Peter Kay have made a living out of it, telling funny anecdotes about childhood moments and growing up.
Secret Cinema have been creating amazing, immersive cinema experiences with classic features like Star Wars, Dirty Dancing and Back to the Future, once again giving us oldies the chance to reminisce, whilst recruiting a whole new younger following to the films, and of course the Secret Cinema brand.
But during the Summer, Secret Cinema’s agility to move with the Covid restrictions brought ‘Secret Sofa’ into our homes. A partnership with Haagen-Dazs saw an 8-week series of classic movies to immerse ourselves with, in the comfort of our front rooms. There were pre-screening narratives, allowing the audience to dress up as key characters, choreographed dances to learn, props to make and playlists to create, fully bringing the Secret Cinema experience into our homes.
BrewDog created their online bar ‘The Open Arms’ to help replicate days gone by in the pub with friends. Virtual quizzes, homebrew masterclasses, live music and comedy, all via video conferencing, allowed us to connect with a can in hand, and bring back those Friday night, end of the week, post work vibes.
There is hope
So, as we can see, the importance of these feel good, trip-down-memory-lane emotions are as important now, than ever. We all need a large dose of comfort content right now in our lives. It allows us to emotionally connect in a time when we are so disconnected with everyone.
And if a brand or experience can create that, authentically, then that viewer or individual is connected with them in a positive and meaningful way. They can be purposeful to help people through this, physically and mentally, and truly stand for something.
By the time we come out of this and begin to enjoy live events again, which may well be 2 years from our last event, and perhaps in a new guise, we will be craving it so much that we are ready to burst!
Which means post-Covid will be as important and exciting as ever for brands to connect with their fans and recruit new ones, and perhaps continue our love for nostalgia. They have the opportunity to reset ‘normal’ for people and the planet.
Whenever that time comes, I will look forward to connecting once again with colleagues past, present and future. To all the production teams, freelancers, BAs, staff, builders, DJs, bookers, runners, cleaners, and many more who help create these memories, I for one cannot wait to reminisce and get nostalgic with you all once again, at a pop-up, experience or dance floor, in a field, shopping centre or town square, sometime soon.
We shall return. #WeMakeEvents
Chris Lloyd, Creative Director