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August 25th • Psychology & Memory

The Power of Nostalgia

While the 25th of August marks Banana Split Day, the iconic dessert serves as the perfect starting point to explore the powerful psychology of nostalgia. Often triggered by childhood foods, smells, or music, nostalgia is a complex emotion that brands heavily exploit in marketing.

A classic, nostalgic banana split

Speaking Discussion

  • What is the one dish from your childhood that instantly makes you feel happy? Who used to make it for you?
  • Why do we often remember the past as being better or simpler than it actually was? Is this a trick of the brain?
  • How do companies use nostalgia (like retro packaging or classic movies) to sell products to us?
  • Do you think our digital world—where every moment is recorded—makes nostalgia stronger or weaker?
  • Is it healthy to spend a lot of time looking back at the good old days, or is it a form of escapism?
  • If you could go back to one specific afternoon in your childhood, knowing what you know now, which afternoon would you choose?

Activity 1: The retro Marketing Pitch

The Task: You are a Marketing Consultant. Your client wants to relaunch a 1990s snack food. How will you use nostalgia to appeal to both older and younger generations?

Present your pitch. What emotions will you focus on?

Activity 2: Rapid Fire Sentences

Complete the sentence and justify it in 20 seconds.

  • "I think nostalgia is a powerful tool because..."
  • "A tradition that I want to keep for the rest of my life is..."
  • "In my opinion, the best way to make a new memory is..."