These nostalgic brand activations range from custom LP retailers to arcade-themed eateries that take attendees back in time to the 80s and early 90s. Standouts include McVitie's Jaffa Cakes tower -- a nostalgic snack installation created to celebrate Father's Day 2016 -- as well as Benefit Cosmetics beauty-themed tea party which revived the British afternoon tradition.
Other notable examples include analog popup shops like American Greetings' SXSW activation. The popup allowed visitors to take part in crafts like printmaking, card making and even featured a stitched selfie station that was created with a sewing machine.
Vintage soda bars, porridge breakfast cafes and nostalgic ice cream trucks round off this list of nostalgic brand activations. Appealing to lovers of all things retro, these marketing examples illustrate the importance of the past and showcase its power to shape the experiences of new generations.
36 Nostalgic Brand Activations
36
Nostalgic Food Truck Branding
Grilled Cheese Wonderland's Concept is a Nod to 90s Youth Culture
35
80s-Inspired Fashion Pop-Up Stores
STAYCOOLNYC Hosts Its First Pop-up Location in New York
34
Awkward School Photo Lookbooks
Cherry Los Angeles Debuts Its Graphic Range in a Nostalgic Manner
33
Board Game Pop-Up Hotels
The McDonald's Monopoly Hotel Publicity Campaign Brings the Game to Life
32
American Anime Cafes
The Hello Kitty Cafe is Now is Opening as a Semi-Permanent LA Cafe
31
Underground Sneaker Events
adidas Originals' EQT Sneaker Release Was Hosted in a Parking Garage
30
Playable Arcade Game Buildings
This Building's Facade was Turned into a Playable Tetris Monitor
29
Mobile Ice Cream Shops
This Cobranded Food Truck Treated SXSW Atendees to Vegan Fruit Pops
28
Debuting Designer Pop-Ups
Cherry Los Angeles' Introductory Pop-Up Store is Red-Accented
27
Nostalgic VR Advertisments
Pepsi VR is a Pop-Up Marketing Booth at the Super Bowl LII
26
Female Superhero Children's Pop-Ups
The Powerpuff Girls Emporium Offers an Immersive Experience
25
Analog Pop-Up Shops
Analog by American Greetings Offers Low-Tech Entertainment to SXSW Attendees
24
Rap Label Pop-Ups
Cash Money Records & VFILES Joined to Offer Apparel from Hip-Hop's Biggest Names
23
Nostalgia-Inducing Record Shops
Chicago's 'Bric-a-Brac' is a Record Collector's Dream Destination
22
Nostalgic 90s Pop-Up Diners
The 'Saved by the Max' Pop-Up Offers Fans a Taste of Bayside Cuisine
21
Edible Snack Cake Installations
McVitie's Launched a Jaffa Cakes Tower for Father's Day 2016
20
Hazelnut Spread Pop-Ups
This Temporary Nutella Store Offered Personalized Jars for Consumers
19
Gamified Pop-Up Eateries
The 'Meal of Fortune' Pop-Up is Part Restaurant and Part Arcade
18
Beauty Branded Tea Parties
Benefit Cosmetics Created an Activation Around a British Tradition
17
Custom LP Pop-Ups
Urban Outfitters' Crosley Pop-Up Lets Visitors Create Their Own Vinyl Records
16
90s Boy Band Pop-Ups
NSYNC is Launching #TheDirtyPopUp to Share an Official Merch Capsule
15
Nostalgic Neon-Lit Bars
The Convenience Bar in Toronto Revives Everything About the 90s
14
Sitcom-Inspired Cafes
'Rue La Rue' Will Become New York's First Golden Girls-Themed Restaurant
13
Cookie Dough Pop-Up Shops
The 'Dough TO' Shop Serves Fresh Cookie Dough with a Shot of Milk
12
Puppet-Themed Cafes
This Harajuku Cafe Theme Celebrates Elmo and Other Sesame Street Friends
11
Nostalgia-Inducing Customization Campaigns
Pepsi Boasts a Create-Your-Own-Can Branding Initiative
10
Nostalgic Automotive Pop-Ups
Renault is Introducing Its Clio Model as "the Original Millennial"
9
Porridge Breakfast Cafes
Quaker Oats' 'Oat Café' Serves a Different Porridge Every Half Hour
8
Pop-Up Memorabilia Museums
A Disney Pop-Up Showcases Disney Park's Amazing Artistry and History
7
Space Arcade Pizza Restaurants
Disneyland is Opening a Real-Life Toy Story Pizza Planet
6
Geeky Gaming Hotels
The Arcade Hotel in Amsterdam Features Rooms Outfitted with Gaming Systems
5
TV Network Dessert Pop-Ups
Food Network UK's Ice Dream Van Served Nostalgic Flavors on Its Tour
4
Vintage Soda Cocktail Pop-Ups
Soda Brand Fentimans Has Launched a Pop-Up Ahead of Six Nations
3
Phone Booth Salad Shops
This Pop-Up Salad Shop is Housed Inside an Old UK Telephone Booth
2
Analog Sun Health Campaigns
The Solar Intensity Meter Was Installed by Unimed Pelotas
1
Television-Inspired Draft Ads
The 2018 NFL Draft Ad Pays Homage to the Classic TV Show 'Dallas'
Related Ideas
Sensual Valentine's Day Pop-Ups
Paper Work NYC's V-Day Special is Casual, Yet Very Provocative
Cheeky Art School T-Shirts
Chinatown Market Releases a Collection of Fun-Poking Graphic Tees
Multi-Screen Ads
Pepsi's 'Let's get Together' Campaign Unfolds Across 3 Phone Screens
Glamorous F1 Experiences
Heineken's More Than a Race Campaign Shows the Magic of the F1 Experience
Innovative Social Cafes
Boxcar Social Cafe and Bar Offers Fine Food and Drinks in a Unique Setting
Ultra-Modern Clothing Pop-Up Shops
The Visvim Pop-Up Location Mixes Traditional with Contemporary
Interactive Crunchy Chocolate Pop-Ups
Guests of the M&M Pop-up Voted on the Brand's Next Flavor
Whimsical Cosmetic Pop-Ups
The Winky Lux Experience is Styled as a Photo-Friendly Retail Museum
Iconic Ice Tea-Themed Streetwear
AriZona Launches a Limited Edition Fashion Collection
Conceptual Moon Water Drinks
The Fruit Moon Beverages Highlight the Lore Behind the Product
Cookie Dough Cafes
NYC's 'DŌ' is a Destination for Cookie Dough Confections
Donut Slot Machines
Krispy Kreme Set Up a Food Slot Machine to Celebrate a New Partnership
Disney-Branded Homewares Stores
The New Disney Home Store Sells Glassware, Kitchen Goods, and More
Associative Fashion Photography Lookbooks
GEYM's FW 2018 Boasts Sophisticated and Classic Designs
Hybridized Publication Businesses
Bouquet is a LA-Based Publication That Has Its Own Fashion Line
Home-Connected Car Concepts
The Renault Symbioz Meshes With the Modern Connected Home
Bottle Personalization Services
Copper Dog Launched a Customization Service at Selfridges
Physical eCommerce Store Pop-Ups
eCommerce Store Brandless is Opening a Brick-and-Mortar Pop-Up
American-Styled Diner Pop-Ups
The Diner Pop-Up Has Been Installed Inside of a Milan Railway Arch
Space Agency Design Manuals
The NASA Graphics Standards Manual Boasts Various Branding Examples
Interactive Office Food Halls
The eBay Office Cafeteria Boasts a Smart Self-Ordering System
Luxe Fast-Food Pop-Ups
The McDonald's Butler Experience Will Offer a Lavish Take on Fast-Food
Retro-Branded Ice Creams
Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream Draws on Iconic Imagery for its Branding
Accessible Autonomous Vehicle Designs
Renault’s EZ-GO Concept Vehicle is Stylish and Accessible
Interactive AR Messengers
The New AR Facebook Messenger Camera Effects Create Engaging Experiences
Co-Created Rapper Merchandise
2 Chainz and Gucci Ghost Team Up for an Exclusive Merchandise Range
Chocolate Bar Sushi Rolls
Nestle Has Created Kit Kat Sushi to Celebrate the Opening of a New Store
Cranium-Inspired Noodle Branding
No-Men Brands Its Pink-Colored Noodles as "Brain Noodles"
Debuting Designer Pop-Ups
Cherry Los Angeles' Introductory Pop-Up Store is Red-Accented
Glamorous Historic Restaurants
The Ophelia Bar in Manhattan is Placed in a Classic 1928 Building
Dark Neon-Lit Lookbooks
The NEIGHBORHOOD and adidas Collaboration is a Neon Dream Photo Series
Safety-Promoting Street Mats
Renault Romania's Doodle Mats are Illustrated and Customizable
Free Beer Promises
Bud Light Has Acknowledged Its Promise to Philadelphia and Hopes to Fulfill It
Waste-Reducing Cafe Pop-Ups
The Lush x Change Please Pop-Up Discourages Single-Use Plastic Waste
Exclusive Suburban Pop-Up Shops
Nike's Air Max 270 Was Available at a Sneaker Pop-Up Shop in Paris
3D Printing Design Exhibits
The ÉCAL Digital Market Examines Mass Production in Design
Event-Hosting Fashion Pop-Ups
The CLUB HAUS Pop-Up Celebrates Youth and Street Culture
Pop-Up Toy Cafes
The Shopkins Macaron Café Brings the Collectible Playsets to Life
Retro Anime Sneaker Collections
Adidas is Set to Release Seven Dragon Ball Z-Inspired Shoes
Zero-Waste Cafe Pop-Ups
Ecover's Cafe Will Only Accept Recyclable Plastic as Payment
Co-Working Wellness Apps
Office Rental Space Provider WeWork Launched a Fitness-Focused App
Candy-Inspired Slide Shoes
These Shoes Have Been Styled After Popular Candy Bar Wrappers
Industrial Concrete Restaurants
Heroine Restaurant and Bar Features a Unique Menu and Space
Consumer Profile-Creating Platforms
ErnestButler Helps You Build Comprehensive Customer Personas
Immersive Football Exhibits
The 'NFL Experience' Engages Fans with Cutting-Edge Technology
Clean Beauty eCommerce Expansions
Follian is Opening Brick-and-Mortar Locations in America
Subconscious Shopping Experiences
The Art of Shopping Presented by eBay Measures Brain Signals
Multi-Sensory Fabric Pop-Ups
Hermes' 'Silk Mix' Shares Experiences Centered Around Luxury Silk
Shipping Container Coffee Shops
Container Coffee Dublin Offers Caffeine from an Unique Source
Customer-Centered Inclusive Campaigns
Primark Taps into Its Customer Base for a Heart-Warming Ad
Combinational Candy Treats
The Bazooka Candy 'Match-Ems' are Meant to be Mixed and Matched
Summer Entertaining Pop-Ups
The Pop-In@Nordstrom Eats More Covers Prep, Partying and Cleanup
Couture Dry Cleaner Activations
The Vetements 'Dry Cleaning' Popup Displays Dirty Clothing as Art
Retro Sporty Fashion Capsules
Eric Emanuel's Spring/Summer 2018 is Informed by 90s Gym Class
Upcycled Fashion Waste Furniture
Pentatonic Recycles Fashion Waste into Patchworked Furnishings
Disney Cruise Ship Expansions
Disney Cruise Line is Set to Release Two New Large-Scale Ships
Summer Wine Brand Activations
Campo Viejo's 'Fiesta de Color' Includes a Personalization Station
Celebrity-Inspired Cocktail Menus
Scarfes Bar's Drink Menu Boasts Drinks Inspired by Famous Faces
Airport-Themed Luggage Pop-Ups
Away's 'Terminal A' Pop-Up Simulates a Fun Travel Experience
Cultural Beauty Kiosks
Nordstrom's K-Beauty Counter Spotlights the Best in Korean Skincare
Edible Art Galleries
Maynards Bassetts' 'Sweet Art Gallery' Features Art Made from Candies
Personalized Hair Color Pop-Ups
My. Haircare's 'Made For Me' Hair Pop-Up Emphasizes Customization
Turbocharged Hatchback Cars
The Renault Megane R.S. Blends Compact Looks With Big-Time Performance
Old School Alpine Fashion
Colmar's Heritage Capsule is Done in a Collaboration with Shayne Oliver
Nostalgic Film-Inspired Fashion Collections
The Hundreds Channels 'The Karate Kid' for SS2018
Personalized Souvenir Shops
Verdes has Created a Tiny Pop-Up Souvenir Shop in NYC
Social Media-Friendly Lemonade Stands
Karvan Cévitam's Pop-Up Featured Confetti Showers
Empowering Stacked Shoes
Converse's All Star Lifts Support Artists and Empowers the Community
Large-Scale Disney Park Renovations
Disneyland Paris Will Undergo a 2 Billion Dollar Expansion
Distraction-Free Work Spaces
'Cave Day' is a Distraction-Free Pop-Up Space for Procrastinators
Co-Curated Designer Boutiques
The Adidas X Concepts Store is Now Open in Boston
Minimalist Soda-Branded Sneakers
These New KITH Sneakers Were Made in Collaboration with Coca-Cola
Customizable Pop-Up Shop Collections
Consortium's Custom-Only Pop-Up Features Made-to-Order Brands
Cookie Dough Parlors
Naked Dough is a New Cookie Dough Cafe Opening in Shoreditch, London
Developing Provincetown Izakayas
Tanuki Will Offer Tasty Japanese Snacks near the Beach
Boxy Autonomous Vehicles
The Renault 'Avame' Has a Visual Aesthetic That is Unlike Existing Cars
Adaptive SUV Pickup Vehicles
The Renault Subtil Combines the Aesthetics of Different Vehicles
Socially Conscious Pop-Up Restaurants
'Order Mistakes' Employs Dementia and Alzheimer’s Patients
Cookie Dough Cones
Tart Sweets Serves Raw Cookie Dough Like Ice Cream
Team-Themed Chip Bags
Tostitos Limited-Edition 'Lucky Bags' Help NFL Fans Connect to Team Rituals
Cause-Oriented Pop-Up Kitchens
Merrett Houmøller Architects's Pop-Up Pavilion is for Refugees
Autonomous Ride Sharing Vehicles
The Renault Ez-Go Looks To Bring Stylish Autonomous Car Services
Digitally Created Cleats
adidas' AM4MN Cleats Deliver the Fastest Football Shoe Technology
Horoscope-Themed Chocolates
These Astrology-Inspired 'Eight Chocolate' Explore Star Signs
Savory Trifle Desserts
Deliveroo's Regina Phalange Pop-Up Shares Rachel's Trifle from 'Friends'
Revamped Cannabis Ads
MedMen's Forget Stoner Campaign Aims to Change Dated Labels of Marijuana Use
Immersive Ultra HD Desktops
The HP Envy Curved AIO 34 Desktop Showed Off Style at CES 2017
Grain-Based Grocery Pop-Ups
The Grain & Graze Pop-Up Celebrates Pulses, Seeds, Nuts and More
Waffle Cone Tacos
Ben & Jerry's is Now Selling Ice Cream in a Taco
Expandable Compact Campers
'The Tipoon' is a Pop-Up Camper That Expands Three Times Its Size
Sizable Wooden Puppet Exhibitions
Ventura Centrale Boasts Absurd Wooden Puppets & a Pop-Up Diner
Complementary Coffee Cognacs
'Renault Avec' Amplifies the Pairing of Coffee and Cognac
Urban Beach Bar Pop-Ups
This Beer Bar Embodies the Spirit of the Beach in the Heart of the City
Glittery Collaborative Sandals
Opening Ceremony Introduced a Glittery Birkenstock Collaboration
Dedicated Avocado Museums
'The Cado' is a Pop-Up Museum Solely Dedicated to California Avocados
Doodle-Adorned Streetwear
SELF MADE Dropped a SS19 Capsule Full of Scrawled Sketches and Doodles
Superhero Sequel Pop-Up Bars
Deadpool 2 Pop-Up Bars are Coming to Brooklyn and Los Angeles
Nostalgic Flavor Ice Creams
These Tillamook Special Batch Ice Creams are Limited-Edition
Crunchy Dark Chocolate Clusters
Nestlé's New Buncha Crunch Dark is Made with 100% Dark Chocolate
Sporty Casual Wear Capsules
MUNDIAL & YMC's Collab Infuses Fashion with Russian Motifs
Ethical Fashion Pop-Ups
Lush Cosmetics is Launching a Fashion-Focused 'Lush Swag Pop-Up Shop'
Nostalgic Automotive Pop-Ups
Renault is Introducing Its Clio Model as "the Original Millennial"
Copper-Accented Cleats
adidas' New 'Predator' Pack Will Be Worn by Some of the Biggest Athletes
Sentimental Razor Ads
This Gillette Ad Features an NFL Player and his Father
Collaborative Cereal Brand Clothing
Froot Loops and AWAYTOMARS Created a Fun Fashion Collection
Donut Cocktail Tastings
The Clough Club Pop-Up Pairs Cartems Donuts with Mixed Drinks
Free Ice Cream Giveaways
Zag Bank Celebrates Its Contest in Partnership with iHalo Krunch
Hip Finance Lounges
Toronto's MogoLounge Offers Adult Education Sessions and Events
Electric Vehicle Retail Spaces
Renault's Electric Vehicle Concept Opened in Stockholm
Bachelor Pad Pop-Ups
The Vetements Paris Pop-Up is Located in the Montaigne Market
Cartoon Adventure Theme Parks
Disney Parks Announced the Opening of the New Pixar Pier
Storytelling Branded Bandages
The Nike 'Badge of Honor' Bandages Encourage Kids to 'Get Back Up'
Ice Cream-Flavored Lip Balms
Ben & Jerry's is Now Selling Ice Cream Lip Balm with Natural Oils
Personalized Valentine's Pizzas
Pizza Pizza Offered a Heart-Shaped Pizza in a Customizable Box
Pillowy Sundae Events
Buffy x Van Leeuwen Teamed Up for a "Clouds + CBD Sundae Extravaganza"
Street View Theme Parks
Google Maps' Disney Parks Lets Users Explore The Magic Kingdom on a Screen
Holiday-Encouraging Pop-Ups
CharlieHR's Instant Holiday Pop-Up Reminds Brits to Take Vacations
Multi-Flavor Chip Mixes
Doritos Blazin' Buffalo Mix Combines Four Different Flavors in One Bag
Anime-Inspired Collaborative Apparel
adidas Skateboarding & Hélas' Series Focuses on Anime & Sport
Rainbow-Colored Cookie Dough
Dō's Ready-to-Eat Cookie Dough Takes Inspiration from Unicorns
Disney Park Fashion Shows
California's Disneyland Will Host Opening Ceremony's Next Fashion Show
Aquatic Pop-Up Yoga Events
The 5.8 Undersea Restaurant Housed a Mindful Yoga Session
Cookie-Filled Chocolate Cups
Reese's New Crunchy Cookie Cups are Filled with Cookie Dough
Football-Shaped Candies
Brach's Fall Candy Corn Boasts a Fun Sports-Inspired Design
Alien-Shaped Pizzas
Shanghai Disneyland's Toy Box Café Now Serves an 'Alien Spicy Seafood Pizza'
Animal Camouflage Apparel
'The Study in Camouflage II' Explores Many Conceptions of Camouflage
Celebrity Jerky Connoisseur Campaigns
Olivia Munn is a Master Jerky Sommelier for Chef's Cut
Fruit-Based Depilatory Creams
Besilki Offers a Unique Ingredient in Its Hair Removal Creams
Tropical Hideaway Theme Parks
Disneyland's Tropical Hideaway Will Be a Rest Stop in Adventureland
Female Skateboarding Videos
adidas Skateboarding's 'Nora' Features the Team's First Female Rider
European eSports Investments
Team Vitality Received Funding from Several Investment Firms
Southern Candy-Themed Lattes
Cracker Barrel Created a Chocolate, Nutty 'Goo Goo Cluster Latte'
Celebrity-Endorsed Spring Shoes
Woodie gochild is the Face of Skechers Korea's Newest Campaign
Immersive Sneaker-Branded Pop-ups
The Adidas 'EQT Creator Series' Was an Experiential London Popup