The glitz, glamour, and consumerist materialism stereotypically associated with the 80s is back in a big way. A few interesting brands are drawing inspiration from the era to create richly designed brand fantasy worlds.
What's driving this trend? Why is it so popular? What does it mean for the future of community and consumer branding?
The Poolsuite era
Arguably this was all started by Marty at Poolsuite.
Vacation's commitment to airtight brand storytelling is truly incredible: when I ordered Vacation, it came in an old-timey pharmacy paper bag with a dot-matrix-printed receipt! I'm not sure how they're physically creating these nowadays. You literally can't plug one in to any modern computer.
Racquet Rose and The Rochambeau Club
Then there's the Rochambeau Club, a fictional tennis and health club set in the real town of Saint Paul-de-Vence in Cotes-de-Provence. Here, too, there's an almost crazy commitment to playing the part: the website features fictional staff members with fictional jobs, a drawn map of the fictional club grounds, fictional hospitality industry membership affiliation logos, and of course, a live-updated notification of what appears to be the real temperature in the real town.
All of this extensive brand storytelling is actually in service to a single primary end: Racquet Rosé, a (real) rosé wine they sell (for about 120 pounds for a case of 6), alongside other Rochambeau Club merchandise at the club shop.