SWEET BRAND OF YOUTH

SWEET BRAND OF YOUTH

In uncertain times, nostalgia sells. At least that's what the marketers at Bumble Bee tuna, Dunkin' Donuts, Eight O'Clock Coffee, Nationwide Insurance, and fast food chain Carl's Jr. seem to think. All have resurrected (or consciously held on to) old taglines, advertising jingles, or products in the hope of conjuring memories of happier years. "Placing the product in the past is comforting to consumers," says Nick Hahn, managing director at New York marketing consultancy Vivaldi Partners, who has run nostalgia campaigns for Coca-Cola and Johnson & Johnson. "It grounds them in a time when things were better." Dunkin' Donuts, after years of plugging coffee drinks and bagels, is again emphasizing its namesake product. It's "a fun food," says President Will Kussell, adding that the campaign aims to show the company's "small role" in buoying consumers' spirits. Meanwhile, Eight O'Clock Coffee has postponed a packaging change, its Web site says, because "Americans are looking for consistency."

Marketing experts say nostalgic ads run the risk of making a product look outdated. The trick is to evoke a brand's heritage in a contemporary way, says Dave Melbourne, senior vice-president of consumer marketing at Bumble Bee in San Diego. Bumble Bee is reviving its jingle from 30 years ago ("Yum, Yum, Bumble Bee Bumble Bee Tuna") by poking fun at its own campaign. In its TV spot, a goofy 1970's era guitarist pops up from the past repeatedly--unbidden and unwanted--to belt out the tune to startled consumers.