"Journaling my Disney+ Nostalgia": Using diaries and narratives to assess nostalgia and its emotional connection with consumers

Introduction

Audiovisual consumption has undergone profound changes over recent decades and has accelerated significantly during the pandemic. This shift has created a highly competitive ecosystem among video streaming services, in which differentiation is crucial. In this context, emotional connection with consumers becomes a central strategy for success. In the field of marketing, nostalgia—a bittersweet feeling that takes an individual back to the past—has been recognised as a powerful mechanism for emotional engagement, capable of awakening positive memories and feelings that directly influence consumer attitudes and behaviours positively towards the brand. By resorting to a sequential combination of consumption diaries and semi-structured interviews, along with platform content analysis, this study aims to assess how The Disney+ platform, which boasts a vast symbolic heritage, leverages nostalgia to foster emotional connections with consumers.

Goals and Methods

This study explores how Disney+ fosters emotional bonds with consumers, focusing on the relationship between nostalgia and brand attachment. Using a qualitative approach, data collected from 24 participants through a diary method, analysed using narrative construction, resulting in detailed narratives for each participant. These were complemented by 24 semi-structured interviews, exploring consumers' perceptions and motivations. Platform content analysis explored how nostalgia was presented and triggered in participants. 

Results

Data analysis of 24 narratives and interviews revealed four consumption patterns. Some participants remain loyal because they feel connected to Disney+ brands. Others use the platform to revisit the past. A third group seeks a pleasant experience. Finally, some participants deeply engage and prefer sharing every moment with someone.

Key Words: Narratives, Consumption diaries

Conclusions show how qualitative research deepens understanding of participants’ perceptions and emotions, and how combining methods enriches analysis. The findings suggest that although nostalgia is not the sole driver of brand loyalty, it helps brands stand out and strengthen consumer involvement through more meaningful connections.