University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Advertising Professor Jon Morris and Ph.D. students Ilyoung Ju and Yunmi Choi and Department of Psychology Associate Professor Susan Bluck and Ph.D. student Hsiao-Wen Liao’s research article “Creating Nostalgic Advertising Based on the Reminiscence Bump: Diachronic Relevance and Purchase Intent” has been accepted for publication in Applied Cognitive Psychology.

Abstract

Nostalgic advertising uses images relevant to past periods in individuals’ lives to market products. The current study examines the reminiscence bump in a new context: reactions to nostalgic advertising. We examine diachronic relevance and its influence on purchase intent using a 3 (time-frame: bump advertisements, non-bump past advertisements, present-focused advertisements) x 2 (age group: Generation X, late-stage Baby Boomers) between-subject design.

Results show that advertisements for a fictional camera brand (i.e., Optimax) that focus on a bump year (i.e., 15 – 24 years) have more diachronic relevance than advertisements from either a non-bump past year or present-focused advertisements. In addition, advertisements focused on bump years elicit greater intent to purchase the advertised product than non-bump past and present-focused advertisements. Analyses show that intent to purchase the product is fully mediated by diachronic relevance of the bump-year advertisement. These effects hold across both age groups.

Posted: December 17, 2015
Category: Research News
Tagged as: Jon Morris