Nostalgia is a Powerful Emotion.
It transcends generations, and sort of like THE FORCE, binds us to the objects, brands, and memories of our pasts. Collectors often engage with items that respark these memories, like vintage movie posters, first-edition or fave-hero comic books, or Star Wars Boba Fett action figures.
As technology evolves though, so too does how we collect, and we’re witnessing a major shift how brands like Marvel, DC, Disney, Coca-Cola, even Lamborghini are embracing digital collectibles. The transformation isn’t just for the young & tech savvy, it’s reinventing how the young-at-heart preserve and cherish the past, making it more accessible and exciting than ever before.
After all, shouldn’t collecting in ANY form be about the enjoyment of participating (and owning) your favourite brand assets? If the brands themselves are now fully supporting & encouraging their fans to enjoy new tech & digital platforms to complement their legacy products, then who are we to challenge their thinking?
The Timeless Appeal of Legacy Brands
Brands with rich histories, often referred to as heritage brands, have long held a special place in the hearts of consumers. Think of Lucasfilm / Star Wars, Star Trek, Back to the Future, James Bond, NHL… all have cultivated loyalty by weaving their products into the fabric of popular culture.
From tickets to t-shirts, lamps to lightsabers, the sense of nostalgia these brands evoke is not only a personal experience, but also a collective one, linking generations and new friends through shared memories. As noted in the Brand Love Summit, legacy brands thrive because they strike a balance between innovation and familiarity, giving consumers a sense of comfort while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
Yet, some brands from the “good ol' days” are facing trouble as lifelong customers shift away, or they're failing to resonate with newer, maybe younger audiences having differing views of the world today.
Plastics & Tupperware? Cigarettes? Gas Cars or Lawnmowers? Tree-Murdering Newspapers or anything print? Products with possible connections to climate crisis, health damage, animal cruelty or just plain high cost of ownership are at risk.
The key to the enduring success of these brands lies in their ability to evolve with the times. Nostalgia may be rooted in the past, but heritage brands know they must innovate to stay relevant.
Martha Stewart found incredible rebrand / ‘re-popularity’ when she teamed up with none other than SNOOP DOG to promote candles, gardening and more…after her release from prison for insider trading and securities fraud.
The 65-year-old Barbie brand, kept its bright pink world and brought back dolls to appeal to adults who grew up with its brand, while refocusing how Barbie is all women (and not just the blonde bombshell) in its 2023 Warner Bros. film. Along with a 25% boost in sales of dolls, the film saw $1 billion at the box office in the first month it was out.
The 111-year-old Stanley brand, changed its product’s appearance to target a new gender demographic using mainly digital channels for promotion and saw its annual sales explode from an average of $70 million to $750 million in 2023. It also continues to partner with relevant brands on new designs, including Barbie.” (The Current)
And let’s not forget how fantastic X-MEN ’97 delivered at #NostalgiaReSparking all of us sleeping giant X-Men fans up! Its Marvel-licensed, digital collectible comic release on VeVe sold out in less than 10 minutes, with most aftermarket sales still ranging over 500% higher than the incredibly scare, 1000 digital collectible edition drop price (blockchain verified for scarcity & ownership).
Digital Assets: No More Laughing These Off…
The rise of digital collectibles, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other blockchain-based assets have created a new focus for nostalgia. By offering fans the chance to own a piece of their favorite brand’s history in digital form, companies are tapping into the emotional power of nostalgia while eliminating many of the traditional drawbacks of physical collecting.
Brands like Marvel & 200 others partner with VeVe to release & distribute limited-edition digital comics and 3D, A/R-ready collectibles of beloved characters. Disney aligned with VeVe to bring its iconic characters into the virtual realm. They’ve mentioned participation in the metaverse and their new brand, Disney Pinnacle, has exploded in success selling DIGITAL TRADING PINS!
Lamborghini, a brand synonymous with luxury and innovation, offers 1:1 scalable & interactive NFTs, offering collectors the chance to own a piece of the brand’s illustrious history in digital form. The NHL launched NHL Breakaway to provide NFTs of key highlights or sports moments just a handful of collectors can own. And for the most part, ALL OF THESE are available simply through your mobile phone, allowing your collections to be with you everywhere, everyday.
As noted in earlier blogs, FANABLE now allows physical, graded assets to be digitized into an NFT you can enjoy, share or trade, while the physical asset, all nice in its CGC (or other) graded case is secured inside a BRINKS VAULT.
VeVe alone has now sold OVER 9 MILLION DIGITAL COLLECTIBLES since its launch in 2021. Let that sink in, as those dollars are of course, shifting from where buyers used to focus.
Why are Digital Collectibles so Appealing to Modern Collectors?
For starters, they offer the same excitement as traditional collectibles, but without many of the logistical issues. No need to worry about shipping fees, storage space, or potential damage. Theft or deterioration over time? Not an issue. These digital assets are secured via blockchain, ensuring that ownership is verifiable and the item remains in pristine condition forever and they're...
ENJOYED BY ALL AGES, ETHNICITIES, FANDOMS & COUNTRIES
Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of this digital shift is how it’s engaging both seasoned collectors and new audiences alike.
For longtime collectors, digital assets are complementing their physical collections, adding a new dimension to their passion for a particular brand. Meanwhile, younger, tech-savvy generations are drawn to the innovative nature of digital assets, finding joy in collecting without the space constraints or costs associated with physical items in a format they are completely comfy with.
For Brands, This Creates a Win-Win Situation
By embracing digital collectibles, brands rekindle the excitement of their older fanbases while bringing in a new wave of enthusiasts. In a world where everything is moving online, brands are positioning themselves to survive and thrive in the next millennium.
Don’t believe me? Just spend a few minutes in X following fans of #VeVe or #DCNFT where the average age of owners is a lot older than you might think…where THOUSANDS of new comic buyers & readers have not only found new passions, they are pairing their digital assets with physicals.
A very common comment on interviews: "VeVe brought me into (or back into) collecting."
Nostalgia, ReSparked
The convergence of nostalgia and innovation is reshaping the world of collecting. Legacy brands are showing that, while the past is worth cherishing, the future holds even more exciting possibilities. Digital collecting is not a fad; it’s the logical evolution in how we engage with the memories and brands that have shaped our lives. If you’re my age with kids glued to their devices, just how excited do you think they’ll be when it comes to physical assets?
Parents once threw out their kids’ copies of Marvel Comics #1, fearing its new format of storytelling, violence and apparent value-less nature. How many of us today though, wish our grandparents maybe kept a few copies of those ‘weird new books?’
I love my mum dearly, but when I came home one time to find she had ‘donated’ my entire Star Wars collection to a neigbour’s kid to unbox & play with, damnation that stung hard. Anyone else ever go through that kind of pain?
With so many people now enjoying their new digital collecting experiences, let's embrace and encourage them. At the end of the day, these are new, nostalgic moments in the making, not to mention dollars supporting the brands we want to see stick around.
If digital assets are bringing in new collectors, or enhancing the experience for seasoned ones, this is #NostalgiaReSpark at its very best and might just be building the next GOLDEN AGE of collecting!
Thanks for Reading!
References from The Current https://tinyurl.com/5yk78sp8
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