I got to experience some visual eye-candy this morning. Well, it was more than just eye-candy. It gave me that warm fuzzy feeling in my tummy; like mom’s chicken soup. Commuting into Boston, the pool of white and red plates darting in front of me, lining up like soldiers, still feels foreign after all these years. But, this morning, in the sea of white and red plates, a refreshing flash of empire gold & navy caught my eye. I awoke from my commuting coma. “Is this real?” It’s on a brand new car and the plate itself looks brand new, but I seem to remember these plates from the 1970s and early 8os, during my childhood in NY.

Nostalgia—a theme we’ve been seeing for many years—creates positive consumer associations. Those that lived through the era enjoy being connected back to their youth – during simpler times. Those that weren’t born yet find it cool. Mixing nostalgia with what’s next is a win-win for a brand refresh.