Notice an increase in commercials referencing your favorite TV shows and movies of yesteryear? Wonder why Grimace was released from the brand mascot vault for a month of feral TikToks? This week, Abhainn and Kaleigh takeover the podcast to talk about nostalgia marketing and the tactic utilized by businesses across industries to increase sales by tapping into the ‘warm & fuzzy’ feeling. 

So why does it seems so easy to utilize nostalgic feelings in ads, political slogans, and movies to target our happiest memories for their benefit? Abhainn talks more about the psychology of *why* people are so comforted by the fond memories and how they can easily be used for manipulation. Kaleigh calls out the irony of the Barbie movies’ power over their viewers, but who in the end is actually benefiting from the movies. And lastly, we discuss the power of the emotional manipulation of nostalgia and how the quick purchases provide your brain with a quick hit of dopamine to keep you from feeling upset that there is no return to normalcy, but only moving forward.