The user need of “make me feel nostalgic” came up in a conversation with Dmitry Shishkin, CEO of Ringier Media International in Switzerland and one of the foremost industry experts on user needs.

He also touched on it during my recent master class, so I followed up with him after to learn more.

Shishkin said the concept of “make me feel nostalgic” is not a separate axis within the user needs model — rather it is a subset of the “make me feel something/emotional” axis.

Shishkin said it became obvious to him while working as a consultant until 2023 that a new type of user need under the emotional axis is relevant to sports and entertainment. After anecdotally analysing The Athletic, BBC Sport, and a couple other sports brands, he noticed regular features that fall under the nostalgia category. 

“I totally appreciate why,” he said. “Similarly, you can see a lot of articles in entertainment coverage like, ‘Whatever happened to such and such person,’ or ‘The year when such and such won their first Oscar …’”

Why does this resonate with audiences?

“Nostalgia is a powerful feeling, because it taps into deep emotional reservoirs, connecting the past with the present in a way that strengthens identity and fosters social connection — two powerful components of belonging, of being a sports fan,” Shishkin said. “While it is essentially a reflection on the past, its effects are profoundly relevant to the present.”

Media companies that have adopted a user needs model should consider the need “make me feel nostalgic” for sports and entertainment vertical, Shishkin said. That type of content can lead to deep engagement and audience loyalty, he said. 

“Evoking nostalgia fulfills a powerful user need by creating deep emotional connections, fostering fan loyalty, and strengthening the community,” Shishkin said. “Nostalgia goes deep into the audience’s cherished memories, reinforcing their relationship with the sport or entertainment story or object. It provides a sense of continuity, comfort, and joy to audiences, as well as to journalists working on such stories.”

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