Nostalgia drives Easter sales strategy amid price pressures | Business

Brands are bringing back products that evoke childhood memories from the 1980s to the 2000s—such as Garoto’s Caribe (Nestlé), Lacta’s Trakinas (Mondelez), and Brasil Cacau’s Lollo box—alongside characters like Strawberry Shortcake (Kopenhagen) and the Care Bears (Cacau Show).

“The past has become a trend,” said Fabrício Macias, cofounder of digital marketing agency Macfor. While millennials engage with the emotional appeal, Gen Z embraces the vintage aesthetic as a style statement. “Companies had to offer more than just the product—they’re selling a taste of childhood.”

This trend helps explain the 43.2% surge in online searches for chocolate eggs this year compared to 2024. Unsurprisingly, most companies surveyed by Valor allocated a significant share of their marketing budgets to online ads and retail media.

Will the social media buzz translate into sales? Google research suggests it will: 46% of Brazilians plan to spend over R$100 on chocolate this year. Easter sales are expected to reach R$5.3 billion, a 26.8% increase from last year, according to the Brazilian Association of Credit Card Companies in partnership with Datafolha.

Kopenhagen projects even stronger growth, expecting a 38% increase that would help push annual revenue past R$2 billion. Executive Director Maricy Gattai Porto said the company’s 2025 marketing budget is 30% larger than last year’s.

Nestlé’s chocolate marketing manager, Camila Hadaya, said the decision to revive classics like Caribe and Surpresa aims to build a bridge across generations. “Nostalgia has been a powerful strategy, bringing back memories through our iconic products, generating strong buzz on social media—and yes, that buzz has translated into sales.” The Caribe egg went viral in 2024 and sold out quickly. “This year, we tripled production in direct response to fans,” she added.

Cacau Show also embraced nostalgia. Its chocolate eggs feature beloved 1990s characters. The Harry Potter-themed line sold out nearly two weeks before Easter. Children’s products now account for 41% of total Easter sales, up from just 6% in 2015.

“When we connect with people’s memories, it moves the conversation away from price and into emotional meaning,” said Cacau Show’s marketing and communications director, Lilian Rodrigues. Despite a 9.9% average price increase this year, the company expects to sell 30% more Easter eggs than in 2024, with production up 15% to 22.6 million units. Marketing investments rose 14%.

Mondelez cast actor Selton Mello to lead its Easter campaign for Lacta, themed “Why Wait?”, which encourages early consumption. The company is forecasting double-digit sales growth, said marketing VP, Renata Vieira.

Dengo expects a 35% increase in sales from last year. “We’re preparing for the biggest Easter in our history, and results are already far exceeding expectations,” said marketing director, Renata Lamarco. For the first time, the brand is investing in out-of-home media, including shopping malls, cinemas, and elevator ads.

Retailers are also betting on emotional engagement. Carrefour launched a campaign encouraging loyalty customers to follow golden bunny footprints in stores, leading to exclusive discounts. The campaign, which also offers deals for customers with the last name “Coelho” (Portuguese for rabbit), was created by agency Publicis.

“For years, we focused heavily on price and transactions. That’s important, but we have to go further,” said Claudia Vilhena, marketing director for Carrefour and Sam’s Club. “Easter is our first campaign with this [emotional reconnection focus.]” She didn’t disclose figures but said sales have exceeded expectations.