90’s Merch- How Nostalgia is Fueling its Comeback

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Nostalgia and the act of reminiscing on the past have almost single handedly sparked a new interest in merch trends that bring us back the 90’s. NSYNC and Will Smith have capitalized on the trend, both releasing 90’s inspired merch collections that were highly successful. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air merch collection was only available for 72 hours, but still caused some major hype when it was announced. Trends come and go, but this one is making itself right back at home in 2019 and is planning to stay for awhile.

Although Will Smith and NSYNC were popular in the 90’s, other brands can take advantage of this trend, too. 90’s inspired merchandise works for brands because tangible objects have the ability to instill a sense of nostalgia within the recipient.  Although it requires authenticity and intensive planning, inspiring nostalgia into your marketing campaign can be a highly effective way to introduce your brand to a new audience, or simply increase brand trust. According to Forbes, associating your brand with something that your target audience already loves can evoke feelings of comfort, security and trust, even with strangers. This leaves your audience open to brand messaging, and even makes them more willing to spend money on goods.

Giving your audience a blast from the past might be the right step for your brand. Here are some branded merch ideas that will be sure to bring your audience back to the 90’s:

Fanny Packs

Once a household commonality, fanny packs are the ultimate throwback to the 90’s. Take your audience back to the day trips, concerts, and everyday activities that their fanny pack once accompanied them to.