Nostalgia holds real power when monetized. It keeps millennials returning to beloved shows like The Office, despite an abundance of other streaming options, and drives sales of Nintendo’s retro gaming consoles decades after their debut. Legacy brands are increasingly tapping into this emotional goldmine to stage comebacks.

Across Canada, once-dormant retail names are being revived to meet consumers’ craving for familiar comforts. Zellers, the formerly ubiquitous department store chain, closed most locations in 2013 after losing ground to Walmart and Costco but briefly returned in 2023 as pop-up shops inside Hudson’s Bay stores–before shutting down again this summer. HMV, which left Canada in 2017, has resurfaced through Toys”R”Us partnerships, selling CDs, vinyl records, and collectibles to satisfy growing pop culture nostalgia. Most recently, video game retailer EB Games reclaimed its original branding after GameStop’s 2021 rebrand fell flat. Recognizing that Canadians never stopped calling it “EB Games,” U.S.-based GameStop saw a chance to rebuild the brand on nostalgia.

One of the most notable recent Canadian comeback stories driven by nostalgia is Clearly Canadian, the fruit-flavoured sparkling water popularized in the 1990s. Made with Canadian spring water, its fizzy drinks offered a lighter, more refreshing alternative to the sugary sodas dominating supermarket shelves and pop culture at the time. With its maple-leaf branding and iconic teardrop-shaped blue bottles, the brand stood out on shelves. However, after filing for bankruptcy in 2010 and vanishing from the market, Clearly Canadian relaunched in 2013 through a crowdfunding campaign and has seen steady growth since. This past June, it launched its first ad campaign since 1991 featuring 1990s Canadian icon Shania Twain, who shares her love for the brand by referencing her hit single, You’re Still the One.

“Clearly has always had a special place in the hearts of those who grew up with it,” says Jennifer Blackburn, Clearly Canadian’s chief marketing officer, who was a big fan of the sparkling water herself as a child in Port Perry, Ontario. “Whenever I’d go on a road trip with my family, Clearly was a special treat I’d look forward to. That whole sensory experience of holding the cold bottle in your hand, cracking the seal, and smelling the effervescence takes me right back to my childhood memories.”

Nostalgia marketing isn’t new. In the late 1990s, Volkswagen successfully revived the iconic Beetle as the “New Beetle”, tapping into Baby Boomers’ sentimental ties to 1960s hippie culture. Today, the trend is increasingly driven by Millennials and Gen Xers, who came of age in the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, and now have the spending power to indulge in the pop culture of their youth. A growing number of brands are adopting this strategy as today’s marketplace, with its abundance of choices, can lead to decision fatigue. In such contexts, consumers often gravitate toward brands or experiences that feel familiar and comforting.

Research supports the appeal of nostalgia. A 2014 study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that nostalgia increases consumers’ willingness to spend by fostering social connection and easing loneliness. Brands capitalize on this by drawing on shared memories, creating an emotional bridge between past and present. Likewise, a Nielsen report showed that nostalgia-driven campaigns can boost brand engagement by up to 60 per cent.

Blackburn says that some Clearly Canadian customers are drawn to the brand by a yearning for simpler times: “We’re in a really different world than we were in the 1990s as far as technology goes, and especially coming out of the pandemic, there’s some stress relief reflected in the idea of connecting to a past where you didn’t have the same life pressures present today.”

Clearly Canadian’s successful return was far from guaranteed. Founded in British Columbia in 1987, the company gained momentum in the early 1990s as consumers shifted from sugary sodas to lighter, healthier drinks. By 1992, sales peaked at $150 million. The brand also crossed into the U.S. market, making cameo appearances on popular shows like Seinfeld and Sex and the City.

But financial mismanagement in the 2000s led to bankruptcy in 2010. When a venture capitalist firm acquired the brand in 2012, it faced the challenge of competing in an increasingly crowded beverage market. But a loyal Gen X fanbase who had grown up drinking Clearly Canadian had been calling for its return on social media for years, revealing a strong emotional connection the company sought to leverage. 

In 2013, the company launched a crowdfunding campaign—a novel approach for consumer brands at the time—inviting fans to buy into the comeback. “The core message was: if you want Clearly Canadian back, now’s your chance to make it happen,” says Blackburn. The campaign leaned on emotional storytelling, using images of the original bottles and fans’ personal memories shared online, particularly on Facebook. With help from popular American YouTubers Rhett & Link, the campaign went viral, pre-selling more than 40,000 cases worldwide.

This groundswell of support paved the way for Clearly Canadian’s return to retail shelves across Canada and the U.S. in 2017. Since then, the company has seen steady year-over-year growth. Today, the brand is widely available at major Canadian grocers and mass retailers, with U.S. distribution reaching national scale through partners like Kroger, Sam’s Club, and Walmart.

Under Blackburn’s guidance, the brand has sought to balance staying true to its nostalgic roots while adapting to current market demands. While the iconic blue glass remains its signature asset, the company has introduced cans to appeal to on-the-go consumers seeking a lighter, more portable option. It also remains committed to avoiding plastic, reflecting its long-standing focus on sustainability.

The company also expanded beyond its original five flavours like mountain blackberry and orchard peach by testing zero-sugar options in the U.S. The launch featured Instagram videos featuring models inspired by Jane Fonda’s ‘80s workout videos, complete with brightly coloured leotards, leg warmers, and energetic aerobics routines. The campaign captures Clearly Canadian’s social media strategy, blending retro flair with modern trends.

The company also leverages the growing popularity of mocktails among health-conscious consumers by sharing recipes and sending special mocktail kits to social media influencers. This campaign generated over 13 million impressions across both the brand’s and influencers’ channels. Today, Clearly Canadian has more than 50,000 followers on TikTok and 160,000 followers on Instagram.

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This approach appeals to their core demographic–those around age 45, who grew up with Clearly Canadian–while also attracting younger consumers. “More and more people are rediscovering the brand, including the children of Gen X and late millennials who have families now and are bringing Clearly into the household,” says Blackburn.   

For Clearly Canadian, moving forward means maintaining its nostalgic identity while embracing modern marketing and partnerships that reflect today’s trends. The Shania Twain campaign embodies this approach, anchoring the brand in nostalgia for core consumers, while introducing it to new generations. As brands seek authentic ways to cut through digital noise, nostalgia offers a powerful connection to consumers’ hearts and wallets. For companies with rich histories, the past can unlock future success if they balance reverence for what was with relevance for what is.