Effects of advertising-evoked vicarious nostalgia on brand heritage

Why do people feel emotional attachment to events occurring before they were born? This paper examines ad-evoked vicarious nostalgia‐induced longing for a time period that an individual did not live through. Vicarious nostalgia impacts brand heritage and leads to stronger brand attachment. Qualitative research (Study 1) and a literature review identify two vicarious nostalgia dimensions—fantasies about past eras and emotions. Initial quantitative research (Study 2) refines these measures, while subsequent quantitative research (Study 3) relates vicarious nostalgia to both antecedents (alienation, fantasy proneness, and nostalgia proneness) and consequences (brand heritage and brand attachment). Self-referencing moderates the relationship between nostalgia proneness and fantasies, while vicarious nostalgia partially mediates the relationship between nostalgia proneness and brand heritage. Both individual propensities (nostalgia proneness) and advertising-evoked vicarious nostalgia enhance or build brand heritage perceptions.