A humble Jaffa Cake stirred up the most unexpected nostalgia as I sat back in my chair this morning. What was it about the subtle mix of orange, chocolate and sponge that brought back so many memories of family fun and great times gone by?
Don't call them biscuits. They don't like that
It's a question worth answering as there has been a huge ground swell of opinion that we turn to cherished products in times of austerity and hardship, seeking to revive fond memories of sun drenched family holidays, fat bonus payments or house price upsurges if only for a few chocolaty crumbed moments. The Wispa, the Beanz Meanz Heinz slogan and Tetley's flat-capped cartoon mascots are all making their come backs.
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That is all well and good, but can this marketing spin work for all products? Will we see the return of the Austin Allegro? Is Sir Clive dusting off the Sinclair C5 in time for Christmas? Not quite.
It could still happen for Sir Clive
Therefore, I’d like to suggest that some products are just so timeless, just so damn good that they would survive any number of economic crises, World Cup failures and housing slumps. Maybe it is these products we return to time and time again; not because they remind us of better times, but just because we cannot live without them, whether in a time of feast, or famine.
With this in mind, let’s return to Jaffa cakes, first brought out in 1927 – they have come through 8 decades of turmoil and triumph. Lego – going strong since 1960, surviving the Vietnam war and the miners’ strike). Doc Martins, happy 60th birthday to you.
But can we still design a classic? I’ll leave a question for you all – what products born recently will still be going strong or relaunched 20 years from now amidst a wave of nostalgia… answers on a virtual postcard please and I’ll announce the winners in 2030.
