ADVERTISEMENT

We here at Bored Panda love different nostalgic eras. And we cover a wide variety of decades: the '70s, the '80s, the '90s, and even the 2000s. It's nice to delve into the past sometimes, and not always for nostalgia reasons. The past is what forms us; after all, we exist in the context of all that came before us, right?

Today we're featuring the Facebook page "The 90's Guyz," a popular account that serves its fans nostalgic memories daily. Do you miss the candy-colored Mac computers and writing with a sharpie on a CD? Then this list is probably for you!

We also got in touch with Donna Moritz, visual content strategist and founder of Socially Sorted and Canva verified expert. We chatted with Donna about the power of nostalgia in creating visual content, some cool '90s commercials, and how even Boomers can love the '90s.

More info: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Donna Moritz: Instagram | X | YouTube

#2

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
SCP 4666
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Me. I loved to listen to Genesis and Annie Lennox and follow the lyrics

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#3

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Owen
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I recently bought quite an expensive polaroid camera. It turns out that with a real camera, I take terrible pictures.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

"Nostalgia is a hugely powerful marketing tool when it comes to consumer behavior," visual content strategist Donna Moritz tells us. "As a proud Gen-Xer, I can't begin to explain the number of times I have related to a product, brand, service or ad based on nostalgic memories or past experiences."

"And as a marketer and visual content strategist, I see time and time again how impactful nostalgia can be." Donna names several reasons why it is so. First, nostalgic marketing creates an emotional connection. 

"Any product or service that evokes nostalgic memories will connect to emotions of joy, comfort and even security, and this can enhance brand loyalty as we associate a brand or product with a feeling or memory from our past," Donna says. "Particularly if that memory was part of our childhood or marks a significant event."

ADVERTISEMENT


#4

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
ndkatis
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You remember how fast that "bubble gum" turned into a concrete like substance?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Secondly, we might be more likely to perceive a product as more valuable if it evokes a nostalgic response. "Especially if it reminds us of happier times and any memories of emotional satisfaction," Donna adds.

She explains that the third reason why nostalgia marketing is so efficient is that we might see it as less risky. "Nostalgia can guide our decision making as we perceive less 'risk' in the familiarity of something we have experienced before," she says. "Tying nostalgic themes through your product and services can help your customers to be more comfortable choosing to buy."

#7

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Pan Narrans
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As I've seen kids struggle with a mail box I fully expect them to believe you.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

"Content creation lends itself so well to marketing with nostalgia, as we can reference trends, pop culture and entire generational themes in our content," Donna points out. She gives the trends of Y2K, kids biking around and having adventures in TV shows and movies, and even remakes of Gen Xers' favorite shows as examples.

"It does wonders for user engagement as who doesn't want to talk about their favorite childhood cartoon, toy, movie or music obsession? As such, nostalgia is a powerful storytelling tool, making our content more memorable when we make it more relatable."

#10

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

#12

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
StrangeOne
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That embarrassment of needing to sharpen your pencil while the teacher scowls at you for interrupting her lesson and the whole class is staring.

Bec
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pickles, corn, peaches, and pickles was a regular lunch menu; that people were excited about. I was not at a school where we could leave campus.

Fuzzyturtles09
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Our pencil sharpeners still look like that, knocked one off the wall in school the other day lol

Winter
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

(raises hand) Ackshally, I think I'm even older! When I was at school, computers weren't even punch cards! That's right, between 1956 and 1962, proper computers didn't exist for nearly everyone in Australia!

Kraneia The Dancing Dryad
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yup, although we had a different game at school, you were a fish and you had to decide whether to dive or stay put.

Trillian
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Upper right makes me glad that school lunches weren't a thing here when I was a kid

Teresa Spanics
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The pencil sharpener is the one I remember. The rest were probably in other schools.

*onyx*
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I play the Oregon Trail all the time, I won with only one person dying from a broken limb, another person had five diseases and lived throughout the whole thing. We also have those horrible pencil sharpeners in our classrooms since our school is so old 😖

Philly Bob Squires
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"To Jen, private" meant the class weasel got hold of it and read it out loud to everyone in the class.

TheBlueBitterfly
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I just bought one of those pencil sharpeners at a flea market because I haven't found a single manual or electric pencil sharpener made today that doesn't break the tip of my colored pencils!

Nancy Bania
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still have the pencil sharpener on the wall in my garage. Works great!!

Fire Singer
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember all the different ways we learned to fold notes. I miss passing notes in the hall between classes!

third molar
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

U must be young. We only heard about PCs exist in our school ....sigh!!!

EmJay
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

we still have those pencil sharpeners at my school, not sure why anyone uses them cus they break when you blow on them but they are still there

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

However, nostalgia can also tap into more personal and individual memories. "Nostalgia lends itself to personalization in marketing when targeting certain demographics – by understanding the age, interests and types of content that will evoke strong feelings of nostalgia," Donna explains.

#13

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Cat Chat
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These made for fun bath time toys, and the doctor waiting room was full of them (and Highlights magazines).

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

We asked Donna which nostalgia marketing campaigns she liked the best in the past year. "One that gave me goosebumps was Canva's Holiday Story Ad," Donna shares. "It gives such a 'Toy Story-esque' nostalgic feeling from the movies of the '90s. And by the end of the ad, you're literally rooting for the character in the story to have the happy ending that ultimately comes."

#16

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
James016
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I shudder just thinking about the noise. It was worse when the poster fell on your head.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

"It's all of your childhood and the joy of characters and books and creativity rolled into 1.42 minutes," she goes on about the Canva Holiday Story Ad. "Created to showcase the element library in Canva and what you can create with it, the ad itself is packed with nostalgia and hits all the feels in the right place. And as a Canva Creator of templates for the Canva library, it was nostalgia on steroids for this designer!"

#20

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
sturmwesen
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let me tell you the tale of the glass salad bowl in the form of..salad leafs. Every adult (35-40yrs) household had them when I was a kid.... and when I became an adult I realized they just turn up in random 35 years old households. Noone ever bought them. Last month we went to a thrift store and there it was... Since I have no parents/grandparents I was compelled to buy it...So now, at 37 I too have a salad formed glass salad bowl.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#21

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Nacho Man Sandy Ravage
Community Member
1 month ago

This comment has been deleted.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

Donna also mentions this gaming ad from Nintendo as a memorable '90s nostalgia campaign. "[It ]evokes memories of siblings and childhood and playing Nintendo in the '80s and '90s. And what's more '90s than a Wayne's World Uber Eats ad? Personally, as a teen video store employee, I loved the '90s nostalgia of Airbnb's chance to stay at the last remaining Blockbuster video store. Experiential marketing [and] nostalgia is a perfect duo."

#22

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Shark bait hoo haha
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My 22 year old son and I will still make one in the Living Room and watch some of our favorite movies while sitting in our "castle" fort!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
StrangeOne
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I dunno. My mom flipped out when I got home from the store for her because I thought there was enough money left over to buy myself a chocolate bar. That was a scary day for me, realizing one chocolate bar could send us to the poor house. She often said NO! a lot and much of our outings were either free or very cheap, and she fed us porridge and soup a lot.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Donna says that nostalgia marketing doesn't discriminate. People of all ages may enjoy these kinds of ads, even if they weren't born in that particular decade. "While Gen Xers and Millennials are particularly attracted to '90s nostalgia, it's not an exclusive club," she says.

ADVERTISEMENT
#26

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Huddo's sister
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't know the intended purpose, but they were great tactile resources for people with sensory needs- my brothers had them on their wheelchair trays.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#27

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
The Phantom Stranger
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Wendy's near me still has this sunroom, but they got rid of the tables with the vintage newspaper ads, and it's kind of sad because now you can drive by and see that there's never anyone in the dining room.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

"The '90s appeal to everyone from Baby Boomers to Gen Z," Donna points out. "We have access to so much content now that TV re-runs, movie remakes and social media bring access to all the best of the '90s – no matter your age or demographic." Donna says that people can pretty easily recreate the aesthetics of the '90s. 

#28

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
JimSteve
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can smell this, I can hear this, I can feel this... and I'm not sure I like it

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

"Revivals of generational hits like Friends or Y2K colors and design can be started with a simple TikTok trend or streaming show. And yet another boy band goes on tour and their music is hitting the charts. I'm sure we will see a whole lot more of it in years to come, as different eras come back into our current pop culture. Rad!", Donna concludes like a true Gen Xer.

ADVERTISEMENT
#33

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Owen
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I cried when my first tamagotchi died. I had failed as a father. I was about 8.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#34

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
royal_antelope
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How has the guy with the hat in the upper left corner not aged at all???

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#39

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

#43

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
The Phantom Stranger
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We sold these when I worked at Spencer Gifts back in the 90's. They only held about 6 ounces and they were made out of this rubberized plastic that made everything taste funny.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#44

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

#46

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My!
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We could buy these at my grade school in the '70s for a quarter. The problem I had was getting the right cheese to cracker ratio. I'd usually put very little on the first two crackers, because I was afraid of running out of cheese. So the last two crackers would be absolutely smothered.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#48

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Katy McMouse
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wanted that so much, but my grandma had the good sense to buy me one of those big, boxy tape recorders. I LOVED that thing! I recorded every episode of the A-Team, and would play it for the guys at school, the next morning. I actually found one of those old cassettes a while ago.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#50

Nostalgic-Memories-90sguys

the90sguyz Report

Add photo comments
POST
Shark bait hoo haha
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still have my Donkey Kong Green one that I bought back in '98 I think. Still works too!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Note: this post originally had 80 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.