Graduation Year
2024
Graduation Month
May
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
School or Department
Business School
Major
Marketing
Faculty Mentor Department
Business School
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Emily Plant
Faculty Reader(s)
Dean Suzanne Tillemen
Keywords
nostalgia marketing, marketing research, personal nostalgia, Ford Bronco, nostalgia evoked by marketing and advertising
Subject Categories
Advertising and Promotion Management | Marketing | Sales and Merchandising
Abstract
This marketing research paper investigates whether various generational groups of consumers associate the new Ford Bronco with positive feelings of nostalgia. The study conducted a comprehensive survey with 420 respondents to determine the extent of nostalgia evoked by new Ford Bronco advertisements among consumers of different age groups. The results of the research suggest a strong and affirmative response to the new Ford Bronco advertisements across all generational cohorts. This implies that the marketing strategy employed by Ford effectively taps into a universal sense of nostalgia, transcending generational boundaries. This finding underscores the brand's ability to connect with consumers of diverse age ranges and highlights the power of nostalgia in marketing campaigns. Furthermore, the study identified two significant correlations that shed light on the factors influencing personal nostalgia responses. Firstly, a positive correlation was observed between respondents with a higher annual household income and a more pronounced personal nostalgia response. This finding emphasizes the potential impact of economic status on consumers' emotional connections to nostalgic advertising campaigns. Secondly, the research revealed a noteworthy correlation between respondents who knew someone else that owned a new Ford Bronco and their positive personal nostalgia response. This suggests that personal connections and word-of-mouth endorsements play a pivotal role in amplifying the nostalgic appeal of the new Ford Bronco. In conclusion, this research underscores the effectiveness of Ford's marketing approach in invoking nostalgia across generational boundaries. Additionally, it provides valuable insights into the factors that contribute to individual nostalgia responses, such as income levels and personal connections. These findings offer critical implications for marketing strategies aiming to leverage nostalgia in promoting products, particularly in the automotive industry (OpenAI, personal communication, 2023).
Honors College Research Project
Yes
GLI Capstone Project
no
Recommended Citation
Wilson, Liv R. and Plant, Emily J., "Built Ford Tough, Again: Does each generational group of consumers associate the new Ford Bronco with positive feelings of nostalgia?" (2024). Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts. 467.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/utpp/467
Included in
Advertising and Promotion Management Commons, Marketing Commons, Sales and Merchandising Commons
© Copyright 2024 Liv R. Wilson and Emily J. Plant