Retro Packaging Makes A Comeback
Chips Ahoy!, Doritos, Wendy’s, and other brands look to past packaging glory for future sales.
Thanks, Stranger Things, for rekindling our interest in vintage packaging designs. Set in the 1980s, the popular Netflix show — which will release its fifth season in November 2025 — stays true to the era with hairstyles, clothes, technology, and, yes, packaging.
Brands are happily venturing into the Upside Down, the show’s dark alternate dimension, with related and relatable packaging.
Chips Ahoy!, for example, has introduced a new x Stranger Things Limited-Edition Cookie and packaging that is inspired by the Upside Down. But brand owner Mondelēz International also created retro-inspired Original CHIPS AHOY! packs — with a Stranger Things theme — that “harken back to the look and feel of the 1980s packaging.” See photo at top of page.
Another snack brand, Doritos, introduced old packaging with new flavors as part of a Stranger Things final season promo.
There’s something about vintage packaging that’s so satisfying, which could be why we see it used so much with comfort food.
Fast-food chain Wendy’s is on a run now too. Its yellow packaging from the 90s is trending on social media. “If you scroll through various Reddit threads, nostalgia blogs, or fast food forums, a clear consensus regarding Wendy’s emerges: it just hit different back when everything came in its signature yellow packaging from the 1990s,” according to Tasting Table. “… the internet isn’t just romanticizing yellow wrappers; it’s remembering a Wendy’s that felt fuller, friendlier, and more inviting, where every visit offered a small escape and a memorable meal.”
In the “Bring BACK Yellow Wendy’s” subreddit, Icy_Challenge_4712 says, “The yellow looks better to me than the 2010’s minimalistic colors they have now.” And mellowyellow0499 reflects, “I have a few fond memories of having days out with my dad when I was young and I vividly remember him taking me to Wendy’s for lunch and seeing all the yellow. I miss it.”
And TikTok posts talk about Wendy’s yellow packaging “like having a hug from a gramma” and “at its peak.”
4 Reasons Why Nostalgic Packaging Is Always Popular
You might think you have to be of an older age to be nostalgic about things. Not so. Blogger EJ Finigan with Prime Line Packaging brazenly asserts, “Gen Z’s love affair with vintage packaging represents one of the most powerful marketing opportunities brands have today.”
Regardless of the consumer’s age or the product’s historic period, brands can use packaging design to leverage these four consumer motivations:
- Emotional connection: Retro designs tap into consumers’ emotions, creating feelings of warmth, familiarity, and nostalgia for what they see as “simpler times.”
- Brand heritage: Brands use these designs to tell their story and showcase their history, offering consumers a tangible link to their past and heritage.
- Shelf appeal: Vintage-inspired aesthetics, like bold color blocks and retro typography, increase visual impact and make products stand out on shelves.
- Social ties: The trend gains traction as a response to social strife. During times of uncertainty, consumers will seek comfort and connection in familiar designs.
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Source: Packaging Digest
