Children and teenagers faced extraordinary, painful restraints in 2020 to protect older generations from COVID-19. The impact of these measures on young minds and all of us remains uncertain.
The digital age has faced its share of criticism, leading to mixed feelings about it. People are increasingly anxious about distinguishing the real from the digital. Remember when Twitter went wild over a photo of the Pope in Nike gear, only to find out it was AI-generated? Today, we must be vigilant about the content we consume online, as much of it blurs the lines of reality.
Offline hobbies bring people together in physical spaces, offering a level of personal engagement that digital entertainment struggles to achieve. Ironically, the very platforms contributing to digital fatigue are also instrumental in the resurgence of analogue.
Gen Z’s love for analog photography, with over 333.1 million views for #analogphotography on TikTok, reflects their desire for raw, unfiltered content that feels genuine. They’re sparking a renaissance in both film and digital photography, drawn to the tactile nature and unique aesthetic of analog cameras.
The first time I saw someone using a Cybershot camera post-2010 was on Instagram. This includes analogue cameras, ceramics, crochet classes—many of these trends appear online first. Despite the need to disconnect, the internet still allows us to discover many new things, often revealing sides of ourselves we never knew.
But is this trend exclusive to the younger generation?
The popularity of analogue among Gen Z underscores a shift towards more meaningful and engaging forms of offline entertainment. However, in a conversation with a friend of mine (31 years old) before writing this newsletter, she argued that the analogue revival is driven by millennials, not Gen Z. She explained that the 30+ generation’s nostalgia fuels the revival of early 2000s trends.
For Gen Z, aesthetics also play a crucial role. Taking a photo with a vintage camera, for example, produces a unique quality that stands out from the perfect images created by high-tech cameras and phones.
The resurgence of vinyl records, disposable film cameras, and cassette tapes highlights the importance of tactile experiences in dealing with technology and culture. Touch restores the visceral experiences of life that digital music and cameras embedded in mobile phones have largely erased.
The trend towards retro stems from a mixture of reasons. Some relate to the real limitations of digital, while others are cyclical preferences for the past. Smart brands will examine both the causes and effects of Gen Z’s movement towards retro to create products that cater to them effectively. Where does your brand fit into this?
This shift is not just about nostalgia; it’s a deliberate move away from the unattainable standards of perfection often seen on social media. For Gen Z, technology and media are not just tools for communication but vehicles for self-expression and identity formation. By reviving elements of past decades, they’re not merely recreating styles but redefining authenticity for the digital age.
Let’s continue this conversation on our social media channels.
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