Leveraging typeface to promote nostalgic hospitality offerings

Abstract

Nostalgic products, featuring personal or historical nostalgia, are prevalent in the hospitality marketplace. However, effective marketing strategies for these products remain underexplored. Drawing on schema congruity theory, this research examines how typeface curvature (round vs. angular) influences the marketing of nostalgic hospitality offerings. Through four studies integrating qualitative and quantitative data, findings reveal that marketing effectiveness improves when typeface curvature aligns with the nostalgia type. Specifically, round typefaces enhance the appeal of personal nostalgic products, while angular typefaces are more effective for historical nostalgic products. Importantly, a serial mediation analysis shows that this congruence effect operates through perceived fit and, in turn, increased perceived authenticity, ultimately leading to favorable consumer evaluations.