There is no doubt that technology has changed our habits, the way we interact and the nature of our devices. Few of us live without being connected to a smartphone or without an internet connection. However, there is a trend that has emerged in Generation N, born between 1996 and 2010, the return to analogue. Although this generation was born connected to the Internet and spends on average about two hours a day on Tiktok, it also has a great nostalgia for the past, and has begun to express it in three specific areas: music, photography and communication.
First the music. Vinyl records have had a resurgence in popularity in recent years. Although we have become more accustomed to streaming than downloading music, vinyl records have become collector’s items even for artists of the same Generation Z. There are those who think that the sound quality is better on vinyl and seek to have the physical object as a key part during the music listening experience. Vinyl stores have also had a resurgence, both physical and online. Furthermore, we see that not only vinyl, but also items such as walkmans and discmans have once again been in demand, as have cassettes and CDs.
Next is photography, although we are used to taking hundreds of images of the same photo with our phones, analog cameras are back in the young public. A few years ago we saw the resurgence of instant photo campaigns like Polaroid or Instax. Over the years, film cameras have reappeared, as have photo processing studios, and although these services were once very common, today they are specialized and exclusive.
Lastly, communication. Generation Z is used to communicating via text messages, however a recent McKinsey study analyzed the preferences of this group and determined that phone calls are the preferred medium for customer service interactions and for staying in touch with friends and family. This is important for service providers, the trend has long been to move to chatbots and automated services, while their customers prefer and often demand human interaction.
This nostalgia for the past has also affected consumer trends in sectors such as fashion and beauty. Habits have begun to change with customers more aware of the environment, the origin of the products they consume and their life cycle. We can say that retro is in fashion, so you have to think twice before getting rid of things, since at some point they will become a trend again.
