Wiring The Past Into The Future

Looking back on happy memories can make us feel good in the present. But did you know that this act of reminiscing can also lead us to want to spend more money?

Wait, how are these connected?

Well...

According to cognitive research, when we reflect on positive experiences from the past, we're more likely to believe that future experiences will be just as enjoyable. This, in turn, makes us more likely to spend money on things that we think will make us happy.

Back in good ol’ 2017, I spent around $1000 dollars in cash and probably $10k in time in search of some of that emotional fairy dust from the past.

I’ve just finished watching the first season of Stranger Things and I knew I had to do something with my life pronto! There was no point in delaying it any longer, and so I...

That’s right! I built a two-player arcade machine. (bet you didn’t expect that)

It just so happened that I saw this advertisement that started with something like “Do you remember when…?”.

In the next two weeks, I’ve read hundreds of forum posts on hardware and emulation software. I would be going to sleep, dreaming, and waking up with the same idea in my mind. It was so vivid! Me and my childhood friends having a blast. Playing Street Fighter II in my home arcade. (Only this time, we’re allowed to drink beer.)

And so, yes - I built my own arcade. I beat millions of pixels just as my childhood memories promised I would.

And I forgot all about the part where the ad said “Play the games you loved as a kid with your friends. Who is going to be the highest score holder this time?” 

And I forgot about the time I spent building it. (That itself was a reward. It just felt so great to build something that worked!)

So, the next time you're feeling a bit down, take a trip down memory lane and reflect on all the good times you've had. You may just find yourself wanting to spend a little bit more money as a result!

And don’t forget to knit a little bit of nostalgia in your marketing while you’re at it.