Nostalgia-Driven Design and Digitalization of Brand Spokes-Characters for Generation Z

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Generation Z, as the first generation growing up in the environment of globalization, has emerged as a new important consumer group worldwide. Compared with other generations, members of Generation Z possess some notable characteristics such as lower brand loyalty and less interest in mainstream products. Meanwhile, they also display a strong tendency to nostalgia, which has been a widelyused theme in marketing and proved to enhance consumers' brand attitudes and purchasing intentions. Based on the unique preferences and needs of Generation Z, this study explored the innovative strategy of nostalgia-driven design of brand spokes-characters and related digitalization, which are popular design elements in brand promotion and advertising. Through a multi-method qualitative approach (including user interviews, creative exercises, and content analysis), it provided important consumer insights into the attitudes of Generation Z on brand spokes-characters that can trigger nostalgia, as well as their preferences for design strategies focusing on two types of nostalgia, i.e., personal nostalgia and historical nostalgia. Given the special preference of Generation Z for story-based brand spokes-characters, this study also emphasized the value of advanced digital media technology for creating truly nostalgic story scenes that could continue to impress consumers. Such findings have formed an important basis for ongoing quantitative studies that further examine the effectiveness of nostalgia-driven design for Generation Z.