Nostalgic advertising and consumer–Brand relationships: Revisiting the role of effective communication and sensory experience in the F&B sector

The research examines the role of effective communication in effects of nostalgic advertising on promoting brand self-congruence, brand love, brand advocacy and purchase decision. Furthermore, the research also investigates the moderating role of sensory brand experience in enhancing the relationships between nostalgic advertising and brand outcomes. Data were collected through survey questionnaires from 510 consumers who have experienced nostalgic advertising campaigns from popular food and beverage brands in Vietnam and analyzed by PLS-SEM model. The findings show that nostalgic advertising has the strongest effect on effective communication, meaning that nostalgia-evoking advertisements help brands communicate more effectively with customers and lead to purchase decisions. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that sensory brand experience moderates the relationships between nostalgia advertising, brand self-congruence, effective communication, and purchase decision. The current research contributes to the theory of consumer-brand relationships and the SOR paradigm by recommending that advertising managers, brand managers, and product designers use nostalgia combining sensory brand experience in advertising to enhance the connection between consumers and brands, leading to a purchase decision. The study has provided a new perspective on the F&B (food & beverage) area and nostalgia advertising, extending a premise for future scholars.