Speaking of nostalgia, Stranger Things is eliciting a false sense of longing for the ‘80s by inspiring “retromarketing.”

Speaking of nostalgia, Stranger Things is eliciting a false sense of longing for the ‘80s by inspiring “retromarketing.” YPulse research shows that creative campaigns around Gen Z and Millennials’ most popular shows are a must and Netflix’s hit series has created a full on revival of all things ‘80s: young people and celebrities are rocking mullets/perms, banana hair clips, as well as bright neon fashion, and of course Kate Bush is topping the Spotify charts and now Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” has joined her. Young fans of the show are eating up the many collabs that have surfaced in recent weeks as well, but Gen Z is experiencing a pseudo-nostalgia for the era with “retro-marketing,” a “relaunch or revival of a product or service from a historical period, which marketers usually update to ultramodern standards of functioning, performance or taste.” Gen Z was never a part of the ‘80s and as consumers of “retromarketing,” they are buying “old” products that are really just modernized takes that alter their perception of what the ‘80s actually were. (The Conversation)