Tag Archives: marketing research

by | Monday, February 23, 2026 · 4:56 pm

Nostalgia Economy

Have you’ve ever found yourself scrolling through “2016 vibes” edits on TikTok or feeling strangely emotional when you walk past a Build-A-Bear store? If so, congratulations! You’ve already participated in the nostalgia economy, one of the most powerful trends shaping marketing today. Marketers have long used nostalgia as a storytelling tool, but three recent trends show it’s becoming a full-blown strategy driven by data, culture, and economics.

First, brands like Build-A-Bear are rewriting the playbook. Nearly 30 years old, the company is now at record profitability, not by chasing kids, but by embracing you. Adults and teens are now a major part of their customer base, drawn in by sentimental memories and an experience that feels “safe” and hands-on compared to online shopping. This is nostalgia powered by experiential marketing, and it’s working.

But nostalgia isn’t just about reliving childhood fun. Gen Z’s obsession with “2016 vibes” is, at its core, a response to economic pressure and a more commercialized internet. When young adults say they miss 2016, they’re really missing a world that felt cheaper, freer, and less optimized for profit. In other words, nostalgia becomes a protest, and marketers who understand that emotional context can better interpret consumer behavior.

Finally, nostalgia is becoming intergenerational – driven by Millennial parents and Gen Alpha kids consuming media together. Brands are tapping into family nostalgia pipelines through school partnerships, retro product releases, and purpose-driven campaigns to cultivate loyalty that spans decades. In a world overloaded with data, nostalgia offers marketers something rare: a deeply emotional insight into why people buy, not just what they buy.

Discussion Questions and Activities

  1. Watch and discuss the Wall Street Journal’s video, How Build-A-Bear Found Success in the Nostalgia Economy. Why do you think nostalgia is especially powerful for Gen Z compared to other generations? In what ways can nostalgia be misused or lead to inaccurate conclusions in marketing research? Should brands actively encourage “kidulting,” or does it risk alienating younger consumers?
  2. How does the “2016 vibes” trend reveal insights that traditional surveys or focus groups might miss?
  3. How could data analytics help marketers predict future nostalgia trends?
  4. Trend Data Dive (Online Activity). Students analyze real-time nostalgia trends using TikTok Creative Center’s keyword analytics. Students search terms like “2016,” “aesthetic,” “throwback,” or a brand of their choice, then present what the data might indicate for marketers.
  5. Nostalgia Audit (Individual or Group). Students choose a brand and identify at least three ways it uses nostalgia. They must determine whether each tactic appeals to Gen Z, Millennials, or Gen Alpha, and discuss why.
  6. Build-A-Bear Strategy Redesign (Group Project). Students design a new nostalgia-driven experience or product offering for Build-A-Bear targeting college-aged consumers.

Sources:

Kranse, Jordan (28 January 2026), How Build-A-Bear Found Success in the Nostalgia Economy, Wall Street Journal Video Series; Lichtenberg, Nick and Roytburg, Eva (20 January 2026) Gen Z’s Nostalgia for ‘2016 vibes’ Reveals Something Deeper: a Protest Against the World and Economy They Inherited, Fortune; Mawhinney, Karl (19 December 2025), Why Nostalgia And Purpose Are The Next Frontier For Brand Loyalty, Forbes.

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by | Wednesday, December 19, 2018 · 6:50 am

Segway: Innovation and Re-Innovation

Perhaps you have ridden a Segway at some point in time, but it is much more likely you have not. First introduced in 2001, Segway was promoted as the world’s first self-balancing human transport vehicle. The product hype was enormous. People around the world clamored for the product that was supposed to revolutionize transportation, particularly in the last mile. But the hype never came to fruition. What happened?

Industry analysts had originally predicted that the innovative Segway would quickly reach $1 billion in sales. However, by 2007, it had reached only a fraction of that amount and growth appeared to stall out. Why? One key reason was the hefty price tag of $4,950, placing it outside the reach of most consumers. Another reason was that, well, people looked like geeks when riding it. It wasn’t cool, nor was it especially safe. Even then-President Bush was filmed on it while falling. And later, the company owner died while operating a Segway near his home.

This pushed the vehicle into the area of mall cops and tourists. However, in 2015, Chinese company Ninebot bought the company to use in developing other markets and products. Ninebot is a leading manufacturer of today’s electric scooters which are seeing strong acceptance in the marketplace, even as they too face safety issues.

But still, there are problems in the last mile. How do you navigate?

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss the stages in the product life cycle.
  2. What are the marketing objectives in each stage?
  3. Poll students: Who knows anything about Segway?
  4. Where is Segway on the PLC? Where are electric scooters?
  5. Show Segway’s Web site: http://www.segway.com/
  6. Show Ninebot’s Segway site: http://uk-en.segway.com/
  7. Ask students what happened to Segway? Why wasn’t the product a hit?
  8. Show video story of Segway: https://youtu.be/U-l4Kf9NUJo
  9. What is the company doing now to re-invent itself? Can it succeed

Source: CNN Business

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by | Wednesday, October 7, 2015 · 9:15 am

Does Research Funding Source Matter to Results?

Research

Research is a critical component in marketing as well as science. A key criteria for a solid, credible research project is that it clearly delineates the research process, and the funding. When this does not happen, then consumers feel mislead and tricked, and the result is a loss of trust.

This is what happened last month to the Global Energy Balance Network when it released a research report claiming that there was no compelling evidence that fast food and sugary drinks have contributed to health issues such as obesity and diabetes. But a key omission was that the NGO failed to disclose that one its key funding partners was Coca-Cola, which contributed $1.5 million to the NGO. In addition, Coca-Cola also provided additional funding for various projects to two of the Global Energy Balance Network’s founding members.

Adding to the furor was the lack of transparency and information on GEBN’s Web site, which was eventually corrected. Many corporations provide funding for research projects. What is their responsibility, and the researcher’s responsibility, for disclosing project and funding details?

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss the importance and use of research in marketing.
  2. Discuss the issue of transparency in research. Why is this important?
  3. Bring up the Web site for Global Energy Balance Network: https://gebn.org/
  4. Have students review the site and evaluate the material, including funding.
  5. Discuss the ethical considerations for research and funding.
  6. Given the negative press that occurred after the research funding disclosure, what could Coca-Cola and Global Energy Balance Network do to regain consumer confidence?

Source: New York Times

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