Why Nostalgia Marketing in Super Bowl Ads is so Effective

Every year, millions in the U.S. and abroad tune into the culmination of the NFL season. The Super Bowl draws a prolific viewership in over 195 countries. As a result, it is one of the most profitable events for advertisers who are willing to pony up for a spot at the table. Brands pour millions of dollars into a mere 30 seconds or less of airtime. This year, many of them drew on nostalgia to make their precious moments count.

Rather than showcasing products, many commercials tapped into shared memories from decades past. They did this using beloved characters, iconic scenes, and retro music. When T-Mobile called in the Backstreet Boys, they transported us to a simpler time of boy-band crushes and coordinated dance routines.

This use of nostalgia in marketing isn’t just a creative choice. It’s a psychological strategy that triggers emotional connections. It builds trust, connects generations, and helps brands stand out in one of the world’s most competitive advertising arenas. Let’s take a look at how these nostalgic ads elevate brands’ effectiveness across the board. 

What is Nostalgia?

Before we go too far, let’s talk about the word ‘Nostalgia,’ and what it means from an etymological standpoint. The word exists in different forms in a number of different languages. By looking at them together, we may gain a more complete understanding. 

The word nostalgia is a noun, coined in 1688 by the Swiss scholar Johannes Hofer. He defined it as a ‘morbid longing to return to one’s home or native country, severe homesickness considered as a disease.” Wait a minute! A disease? That’s pretty heavy. 

The word comes from the Greek algos, which means ‘pain, grief, or distress,’ and nostos, which means ‘homecoming.’ Variations of the word also exist in other languages. In Norse from nest ‘food for a journey,’ and in Sanskrit naste ‘approaches, joins.’ The old German genesen meaning ‘to recover,’ is similar to the meaning in Gothic ganisan ‘to heal,’ and Old English gensen, ‘to recover.’ 

If we put them all together, we get a melange of feelings that range from grief to healing, all related to the feeling of coming home. Bringing that home, the current Oxford Dictionary defines it this way: ‘a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.’ Another definition cites a sad feeling combined with pleasure when you think of happy times in the past.’ Whew! That’s better. So how does it work in advertising? Let’s dig in. 

Nostalgia Creates Instant Emotional Resonance

Nostalgia creates emotional resonance, which is a valuable tool in marketing. If you want to connect to your audience, this is often the fastest way to do it. Creating emotional resonance triggers a strong sense of connection. You don’t necessarily have to share the emotion you want to evoke. You just need to understand your demographic and tap into what they feel strongly about. 

If you’re an ’80s baby, like me, Volkswagen targeted us pretty solidly at the Super Bowl this year. Their ad, while brief, plays on being a teenager in the 1990s when Jetta and the New Beetles were everywhere you wanted to be. Remember that cute little flower vase in the Beetle? Precious. 

If the memory of climbing into cars with friends didn’t grab you, the imagery of Friday night baseball games and House of Pain’s ‘Jump Around’ probably gave you some nostalgic feels. I’m pretty sure the DJ played that song at every Prom or Homecoming I attended (How many? Too many).

Emotional resonance is powerful in its own right because it often transports your audience to a simpler time. By tapping into that, it has a profound effect when we are going through difficult or stressful times. Nostalgia takes us to a safe place where we reconnect with a different self. 

By employing nostalgia in marketing, we reach our audience in a way that heals them. It relieves feelings of loneliness in the present and anxiety for the future, which triggers dopamine release. In essence, it creates a coping mechanism that fosters a sense of resilience. 

Nostalgia Builds Trust and Brand Affinity

Nostalgia is also a great way to build trust and brand affinity. Familiarity is an instant trust builder, and no Super Bowl ad nailed it as well as Dunkin’ did this year. If you’re a Gen Xer, you probably already know what I’m talking about. 

Dunkin’ opens with a reference to the award-winning film ‘Good Will Hunting.’ Rather than placing Matt Damon in the lead, they did a switcheroo and used the film’s other writer, Ben Affleck, in that role. We know Affleck well; his is an endearing, flawed charm that we’ve followed through three iterations of Bennifer and as many stints in rehab. 

The mere mention of the film brings back memories of the beloved Robin Williams. If that wasn’t enough, they go on to give us George Costanza, Steve Urkel, Carlton Banks, Whitley Gilbert, Sam Malone, and both Rachel Green AND Joey Tribbiani. They even throw Tom Brady in for the veteran Patriots’ fans. Marketing genius. I’ll take 4 dozen donut holes. 

Another way heirloom brands build trust and affinity is by balancing the past with a modern twist. This makes us feel it’s the same trusted product, yet still relevant to today’s world. 

Now, say what you will about Budweiser, it’s not my favorite beer, but the brand has incredible staying power. Their ad this year was heartrending throughout. If you missed it, I’ll drop the link; it’s one you’ve got to see to feel the true weight of it. 

They open with baby animals, which will always draw an audience. Make it an unlikely friendship, like the one between the eaglet and the foal, and they tapped into that connectivity aspect. We don’t have to be alike; we just have to work together, and we can overcome anything.

Take that unlikely friendship, add just a dash of sadness when the orphaned eaglet has no parents to teach him to fly. With the help of his faithful and determined companion, we see him try and try again, only to be tousled about in the mud. Feel that tightness in your chest? 

Budweiser nailed it on this commercial in ways that I’m still breaking down; it’s pure advertising genius. Right around the time the foal transforms into its signature Clydesdale, the most trusted stalwart of breeds, the two meld together for one glorious moment as the bald eagle finally takes flight. 

By the time they drop the Pegasus imagery on you, you won’t know if you’re crying because you feel patriotic or miss the days of feeling the wind rippling through your fingers while Freebird burns through rattling car speakers like the glorious anthem of summer. It’s a masterpiece. 

By connecting the past to the present, these brands leverage familiarity to remind us they are still here for us. Amid the constant changes in life, Dunkin and Budweiser will always have our back. That’s a good marketing strategy!

Nostalgia Bridges Generations

Using Nostalgia to bridge generations is a crafty trick that quite a few brands leaned into with their Super Bowl ads this year. By fostering shared experiences across generations, brands create a common language that sparks conversation between parents and children. 

Several brands used nostalgia in this way, playing on a couple of different groups. Most poignantly, Lay’s gave us a hell of a tearjerker with their father-daughter farming duo. 

The notion of handing down the family business from father to daughter hits us in two places: It literally brings the past and the future together, a parent passing on their legacy. It also firmly pulls us into the future, appealing to modernity by placing a woman in a position of inheritance. 

Two brands used nostalgia paired with humor to connect generations in their Super Bowl ads, and I think they both hit the mark. Instacart gave us the unlikely duo of Ben Stiller and Benson Boone. The extended version is more like sketch comedy than a commercial.

The two Bens have a nearly 40-year age gap, but pose as brothers. This ad drew a humorous connection between Millennials and our Gen Z and Alpha kiddos. For the adults, Stiller’s nod to his epic performance in the 2004 classic movie ‘Dodgeball’ is spot on. If you’re not familiar with Boone’s appeal, I highly encourage you to check out his performance from the 2025 Grammys (*chef’s kiss, no notes, perfection).

Hellman’s gave us Andy Samberg for Gen Z, posing as a Neil Diamond look-alike, sort of. Just enough for Boomers to reminisce about ‘Sweet Caroline.’ It all takes place in a deli, and Elle Fanning’s cameo lends a charming and wholesome touch. 

It Improves Recall and Impact

Finally, advertisers can utilize nostalgia to improve recall and impact. No one likes to forget the past, so recalling an impactful memory is a powerful way to evoke emotions. 

From a scientific perspective, this tool works by activating the hippocampus and amygdala. These are the brain’s emotional centers. Add a hit of dopamine by using something that once evoked a strong, exciting reaction, and you’ve got marketing gold.

Xfinity did an impeccable job of employing this device. Jurassic Park is a universally nostalgic movie. This Spielberg classic from 1993 was remade in 1997, 2001, and 2015. The films evoke intrigue, awe, and wonder, with a heaping dose of terror and suspense as our heroes encounter the most fearsome beasts of the past. In short, they made you feel a lot. 

They cleverly cut a panic-stricken segment of the original, featuring a modern tech expert who saves the day. The extended version offers an alternative ending in which an ageless Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neil enjoy the park as it could have been. A luxurious resort surrounded by these resurrected wonders. 

The Value Prop

Understanding the nuance and value of nostalgia is a valuable skill for the marketing mind. If you can connect with your audience in this way, you can build trust, resonance, generational connection, and the power to recall impactful memories. 

The minds behind Grova Creative understand that nostalgia isn’t just a creative trend. It’s a strategic advantage that creates meaningful connections for brands that outlast a single campaign. 

At its core, nostalgia reminds us of who we are and invites positive memories into the present. Tapping into that requires cultural awareness, audience insight, and careful brand alignment. The right story, told at the right time, can create lasting brand affinity and recognition. Let’s talk about how Grova can elevate your brand to a place that evokes fond memories and creates emotional connections with your audience.