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Do you feel younger enough to choose nostalgic products? Exploring the role of age identity in nostalgic purchasing behavior

Dovile Kazlauske (Faculty of Economics, Vilniaus Universitetas, Vilnius, Lithuania)
Justina Gineikiene (Faculty of Economics, Vilniaus Universitetas, Vilnius, Lithuania) (ISM University of Management and Economics, Vilnius, Lithuania)

Baltic Journal of Management

ISSN: 1746-5265

Article publication date: 3 July 2017

1273

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the links between consumer age identity, nostalgia and preferences for nostalgic products.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical framework is proposed based on integrating nostalgia and age identity as parts of an individual’s self-concept. Research results are obtained from the empirical study of a sample of 313 consumers in Lithuania and five interviews with experts in marketing industry.

Findings

Employing structural equation modeling analysis, the current study provides initial evidence that the bigger the discrepancy between one’s chronological and cognitive age, the more nostalgic products one buys. Furthermore, age identity acts as a better predictor for purchasing nostalgic products than nostalgia.

Originality/value

The current paper explores the impact of nostalgia and age identity on consumer purchasing behavior which is not addressed in literature before. By evaluating the role of nostalgia and age identity, the study offers a deeper understanding of consumer behavior in nostalgia contexts. Moreover, unlike in most previous studies on nostalgia and age identity, it is focused on actual rather than intended behavior. The present study is also relevant for current marketers as the findings provide additional information and recommendations for choosing appropriate marketing and communication strategies.

Keywords

Citation

Kazlauske, D. and Gineikiene, J. (2017), "Do you feel younger enough to choose nostalgic products? Exploring the role of age identity in nostalgic purchasing behavior", Baltic Journal of Management, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 292-306. https://doi.org/10.1108/BJM-08-2016-0185

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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