Hearing ‘The red car and the blue car had a race’… slogan song on the TV earlier this year, for one dreadful moment I thought I’d been transported back to the Eighties, big hair and electronica included. Fortunately, however, I was still firmly in the 21st century, and what I was witnessing was yet another example of a growing trend: the return of the retro ad campaign.
From the sublime to the ridiculous (Halls Soothers and the lady in the lift springs to mind), many brands are bringing back old campaigns to resonate with loyal consumers and connect with new audiences. In some cases, the reaction is positive and one of fond nostalgia, but in others the tactic seems to backfire, positioning brands as unoriginal, old fashioned, and even cheap. So where do we draw the line between retro cool and desperate throwbacks? What is the key to using old creative to good effect, and how can brands capitalise on this trend by doing more than simply recycling material, but building on it to create a new and improved version?
We can start by looking at some of the examples of campaigns being revitalised for the 21st century audience. Bodyform, always an awkward classic with its ‘whooooaaaah’ catchphrase bringing an unexpected burst of energy to the subject matter, has recently reinstated the campaign with a very modern ‘search for a star’ competition to find the new voice for the song. Reaction to this ranges from ‘oh yeah, I remember that’ to ‘why would anyone want to be the voice of a menstrual products brand??’ In cases such as these, there is a fine line between recreating an iconic campaign and taking a concept too far. Clearly, the ‘search for the new voice’ concept, with its nod towards Britain’s Got Talent and its kind is topical and relevant for a modern audience, but with the personal subject matter, there is a risk of bringing a popular format into unfamiliar and maybe even inappropriate territory. But hats off to Bodyform for attempting to recreate old success, while adding a new twist.
Marketers have to keep the cynical consumer front of mind. It’s vital that any ‘revival’ of concepts, themes or whole campaigns is done for a reason, and not just for the sake of it otherwise there’s a risk this can appear lazy, recycled and unoriginal. And in an era where originality and innovation is the key to engaging media savvy audiences, perceived laziness is unforgiveable.
Similarly there’s a temptation to ‘update’ campaigns in the wrong way. Milky Bar, for example, recently brought back the ‘Milky Bar kid’ concept but tried to connect with the child audiences of the past, now in their 30s and beyond, by having an ‘adult’ kid. This was a classic example of ‘overegging the pudding’ and was seen by many as a misrepresentation of the original idea – the kids were supposed to stay kids, and not meant to evolve with us as we grew up.
Retro campaigns can succeed though – and usually work best when an element of the old ‘magic’ is retained but reworked for a new era. The classic compilation, such as Coke’s current 125 years poster campaign, combines iconic images from old ads to create a feeling of nostalgia. It’s a great way to underpin the brand’s longevity and place in everyday life.
Ultimately, brands taking this approach are using formulas that work to connect with audiences. Whether this is retaining a classic logo (Adidas, McDonald’s) or bringing back entire campaigns, if done well, with thought, intelligence and creativity, then you’re on to a winner, like ‘smart old blue car taking the milky way’. Otherwise, if you’re not careful, you’ll find that ‘ oh no! the bridge has gone and just like poor old red you just can’t carry on.’
Maia Honan is a director at Positive Thinking
