Efectos neurocomunicacionales de la nostalgia en la publicidad: impacto y conexión emocional con el consumidor

Almudena Barrientos-Báez; David Caldevilla-Domínguez; Joan-Francesc Fondevila-Gascón

doi:10.31637/epsir-2025-1861

Authors

Almudena Barrientos-Báez Complutense University of Madrid https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9913-3353
David Caldevilla-Domínguez Complutense University of Madrid https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9850-1350
Joan-Francesc Fondevila-Gascón Ramon Llull University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6587-939X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-1861

Keywords:

nostalgia, emotional marketing, neuromarketing, purchase decision, advertising effectiveness

Abstract

Introduction: This article examines the neurocommunicational effects of nostalgia in advertising, highlighting its positive emotional impact and its ability to strengthen the connection between brands and consumers. Nostalgia, considered a vital and generally positive emotion, activates brain areas related to memory and reward processing, enhancing its effectiveness as a marketing strategy. Methodology: A mixed-methods approach, both qualitative and quantitative, was employed. It included the analysis of nostalgic advertising campaigns and structured surveys of 387 participants from different generations to assess emotions and behaviors associated with these campaigns. Results: The findings show that nostalgia is predominantly perceived as positive and linked to happy memories. About 60.5% of respondents stated they would purchase products that evoke pleasant past moments. Campaigns such as the relaunch of Nestlé Jungly and the "Gucci 100" collection serve as successful examples of how nostalgia fosters loyalty and drives sales. Discussion: The research confirms that nostalgia fosters strong emotional connections between consumers and brands, especially when strategically employed to evoke specific memories. Additionally, generational differences in the perception and experience of nostalgia were observed, emphasizing its potential to influence purchasing decisions. Conclusions: Nostalgia is a highly effective marketing tool that strengthens the relationship between brands and consumers by appealing to positive emotions and past memories, thereby increasing the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and enhancing brand perception.

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Author Biographies

Almudena Barrientos-Báez, Complutense University of Madrid

Advisor to the Vice-rectorate of Research and Transfer for the support to the development of lines of action of the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM). Professor at the Faculty of Information Sciences. Department of Communication Theories and Analysis. PhD with international mention Cum Laude in Education (Univ. Camilo José Cela). Former Director of the Master's Degree in Teacher Training (Univ. Europea de Madrid). Master's Degree in Protocol Management, Production, Organization and Design of Events - area of COMMUNICATION - (Univ. Camilo José Cela) and Master's Degree in Tourism Accommodation Management (Univ. Girona). Degree in Tourism (Univ. de La Laguna) and Diploma in Teaching (Univ. Valencia). Member (Academic) of the Academy of Television and Audiovisual Arts and Sciences. Vice-president of the Spanish Association of Scientific Cinema and Image (ASECIC).

David Caldevilla-Domínguez, Complutense University of Madrid

Professor and Graduate and Doctor in Information Sciences, (Audiovisual Communication by the Complutense University). Diploma in Teaching (U. of Zaragoza). Two Sexenios (2006-2018). Teacher at: U. Complutense, U. Europea de Madrid, IED, ESERP and IPAM (Porto -Portugal). With more than 20 subjects. Speaker and lecturer in several courses and professor in several own degrees (Telemadrid, Walter & Thompson, McCann...). Secretary General of the Spanish Society of Ibero-American Communication Studies (SEECI), of the “International Forum of Communication and Public Relations” (Forum XXI) and of “History of Information Systems” (HISIN). Principal Investigator (I.P.) of the Complutense Research Group 'Concilium' with nº 931.791. Researcher in more than 15 official research projects. Author of more than 100 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, more than 55 book chapters and 6 complete books: Asturias and La Rioja, una historia común, El sello de Spielberg, Cultura y Relaciones Públicas, Manual de Relaciones Públicas, Las Relaciones Públicas y su fundamentación and La cara interna de la comunicación empresarial. Director of 9 doctoral theses. Member of scientific committees in numerous international congresses and scientific journals. Speaker at more than 120 international congresses. Guest columnist in several publications and radio talk show host in COPE, RADIO INTERECONOMÍA and GESTIONA RADIO. Medal for professional merit' by the magazine “Actualidad económica” and award for teaching excellence by EXIBED.

Joan-Francesc Fondevila-Gascón, Ramon Llull University

President of the Societat Catalana de Comunicació-Institut d'Estudis Catalans (SCC-IEC), he holds a PhD in Journalism and Communication Sciences (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UAB), a degree in Information Sciences and in Political Sciences and Sociology, a Master in Communication Sciences, a Master in Research in Communication Sciences and a Master in Communication and Sport. He is a professor at Blanquerna-Universitat Ramon Llull, Escola Universitària Mediterrani de la Universitat de Girona, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Euncet Business School-Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and EAE Business School. He is the principal investigator of the Research Group on Journalism and Digital Marketing and Broadband and the Research Group on Innovative Systems of Monetization of Journalism, Marketing and Digital Tourism (SIMPED) (https://mediterrani.com/investigacion-eum/simped/), and researcher of the Research Group on Strategy and Creativity in Advertising and Public Relations (Institut de Recerca en Comunicació i Relacions Internacionals Blanquerna-URL) and of the Observatory of Scientific Communication and the Research Group on Scientific Communication (GRECC) of the UPF. He is director of CECABLE (http://cecable.net/) and president of the Societat Catalana de Comunicació del Institut d'Estudis Catalans (https://scc.iec.cat/). He is the author of the scientific blog Telecomunicaciones y Periodismo. He has published more than 200 indexed scientific articles, has been awarded four six-year research fellowships and has won numerous awards as a teacher, researcher, manager, journalist and writer.

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