Demand for Oasis tickets shows nostalgia industry will Live Forever

Liam and Noel Gallagher have this morning confirmed the news that rock fans and 90s nostalgia lovers everywhere have been hoping for: Oasis will reunite for a tour next year.

In a press release, published on social media, Oasis commented: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.”

Oasis fans have been waiting for this news for 15 years, and many have already gone madferit. Since rumours of the Britpop boys’ return began over the weekend, #Oasis has been trending on X, while Google searches for ‘Oasis Tickets’ have surged.

The buzz is an example of nostalgic marketing, and it is everywhere today. Below, we explore how this marketing technique works, and why it proves so emotive for consumers.

Don’t Look Back In Anger

Oasis announced what will be its first live shows in 16 years on its website and social media pages. The duo will play multiple shows in Manchester’s Heaton Park and a record-breaking ten-night stint at Wembley. For Brits, tickets will go on sale this Saturday at 9am.

Image source: x.com/oasis

The reunion is likely due in part to the Gallaghers’ mended relationship (their insult trades on social media used to dominate showbiz media). But the timeline is no coincidence.

Indie sleaze – the early noughties grungy, long-haired aesthetic that Oasis originated – is back on the menu, having found a new audience in Generation Z, or those aged 16-27.

In the past year alone, Blur, Pulp, and Girls Aloud have all returned to the stage, eager to capitalise on their OG fans’ now hazy, rose-tinted memories of past gigs. Now, the ‘Wonderwall’ singers appear to have caught Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO).

Indeed, this tour has clearly been designed with Oasis’ core audience in mind. With no new music announced, each show will likely stay firmly in ‘tribute territory’, with those who are lucky enough to get tickets being treated to Oasis’ greatest hits.

That’s clear from the retro-style poster, shared as part of the band’s announcement, which harks back to iconic Oasis black-and-white imagery. Liam wears a high neck hoodie; Noel, a jacket from cult 90s brand, Carharrt. Some might say, it’s nostalgia marketing at its finest.

What is nostalgia marketing?

Nostalgia marketing is a sales strategy that aims to evoke positive feelings or associations with the past. The reason why nostalgia is such a successful marketing strategy is because it creates a strong emotional connection between brands and customers.

Studies have shown that humans tend to romanticise the past, and remember it as being better than the present. Linking memories from the past to your product, service, or brand is therefore an easy way to create a positive association with your business.

We’ve held out as long as we could, but it’s now time to mention Taylor Swift. Swift’s recent Eras tour, which broke numerous ticket sale records, hinged almost entirely on nostalgia, as thousands of millennials took a trip down memory lane with their favourite childhood singer.

It’s been over a decade since the pop star released any country music, but Swift’s influence made the cowboy hat a sellout item. Fans bought one to relive how they felt when they listened to her early albums, and fancy dress shops across the UK were emptied.

How to capitalise on the nostalgia economy

Nostalgia marketing doesn’t just chime with music fans. Take The Modern Milkman. At face value, it’s a grocery courier, akin to Deliveroo. But the name is designed to conjure images of the traditional milkie, making it feel familiar even to those who have never heard of the app.

The film industry has also become completely defined by nostalgia in recent years, with cinema schedules now chock full of reboots, spinoffs, and prequels.

The strategy went plastic fantastic last summer when Barbiemania took hold. Alongside taking over $1bn at the global Box Office, the film sent a ripple effect through the fashion industry, as consumer searches for pink-coloured items were sent skyrocketing.

Trends move in cycles. When a product is reintroduced to the market, savvy side hustlers and businesses who keep an eye on the changing zeitgeist can capitalise on the revival.

With Oasis’ teenage fanbase now grown up, their return in 2025 will likely send shoppers back to the 00s and searching for Umbro tracksuits and questionable metallic lipstick.

Brands should use customer insights, such as age demographics, to understand what their audience feels nostalgic about. Integrating this sentimentality into advertising campaigns can help their strategy to go Supersonic. D’You Know What I Mean?