Creative Boom covered the recent Oasis reunion from a branding perspective in the article ‘What the Oasis reunion can teach us about branding’ by Tom May.

May asks the question:

[W]hat is it about the Gallagher brothers, along with their ’90s pop counterparts, the Spice Girls, that continues to draw such attention… while many of their contemporaries fade into obscurity?

The answer, of course, lies with the band’s music. However, this is supported by powerful branding that remains recognisable to this day.

Witness the continued popularity of band T-shirts at mass-market stores like Primark. They are often bought and worn by youngsters who couldn’t name a single one of their songs but have somehow absorbed their brand appeal through osmosis.

And for older generations, nostalgia comes into play. The Oasis logo itself is so iconic that it’s able to evoke an entire era:

Oasis, with their anthemic tunes and fierce brotherly rivalry, didn’t just create music; they captured and reflected the zeitgeist of an era, from Britpop to lads mags, ‘Cool Britannia’ to the reinvention of British football. In short, for people of a certain age, Oasis weren’t from the ’90s. In some way, they were the ’90s.

In today’s music scene, there are countless references to the 90s (take Charli XCX and Troye Sivan’s ‘1999’, or A.G Cook’s recent album Britpop). Even for those who didn’t experience this era, there is a second-hand nostalgia that is handed down through the pop culture matrix, from one generation to another. In fact, Oasis’ breakup is the stuff of pop culture legend, so it makes sense that their reunion has caused such a stir.

It’s this emotional connection that forms the bedrock of brand loyalty that spans decades. And the new reunion taps into that wellspring of nostalgia, offering fans a chance to relive the heady days of their youth.

There are many brand touchpoints that help to build this loyalty: from album art to the music itself. The connection is built using a range of sensory inputs. One key aspect of emotional branding is personality.

A brand also needs to have a personality. With some pop groups, it’s all about the music, and the musicians tend to vanish into the distance. In the case of Oasis and the Spice Girls, though, it’s always been the opposite. The distinct characters within each band play an important role in shaping their overall image and appeal.

The feud between the Gallagher brothers adds depth to the story of the band, inviting curiosity and attention. This drama has continued to interest listeners for decades – with maybe more people than ever before following the story of their reunion.

This explains why the Oasis reunion has generated such frenzied headlines: it’s been such a long time coming. The reason for this may be more about Liam and Noel’s rocky relationship than a carefully planned strategy, but it’s worked well for them all the same.

This has been partly helped by the scarcity principle, which is something we’ve written about previously.

Another huge factor is the ability to take something old and make it new: a successful brand needs to be transferable.

There are plenty of bands and songs we’ve completely forgotten about because we simply haven’t heard them since they first charted. Music needs to be continually resurfaced, and in today’s digital landscape, social media plays a crucial role.

In closing, May writes:

For graphic designers, marketers, and brand strategists, the lessons from these enduring musical acts are clear: create multi-sensory brand experiences, tap into emotional connections, and develop assets that can evolve with culture while remaining true to the core identity.

By doing so, brands can aspire to achieve the kind of lasting cultural relevance that keeps audiences coming back for more, even decades after their initial impact.

So, just as music can become relevant again, years after release through remixes, covers, and TikTok trends, brands can find new life with the help of good branding. Maybe your brand needs a remix? To partner with Novagram, get in touch.