From Food to Flashbacks: The Next Big Shift in Luxury Marketing

If you’ve scrolled through any high-end campaign recently, you’ve probably noticed one thing—food. From honey and milk to martinis, food is being incorporated with products. Lip balms styled with veggies, and croissants and butter used to sell handbags—even toast stacked with logos for journaling stationery. Many brands are using glossy, hyper-aestheticized images of croissants, cherries, and dripping honey to sell their products, even when the items themselves have nothing to do with food. But why? And more importantly—is this trend on its way out?

This marketing movement hasn’t come out of nowhere and it stems from a modern evolution of the Lipstick Effect. Historically, the Lipstick Effect appears in times of economic downturn. Rather than splurging on big-ticket items, consumers turn to small, affordable luxuries—like a designer lipstick—to get their dose of indulgence. This happened during the Great Depression in the US and wartime Europe. Even in hardship, people still crave a little luxury—a treat that feels good but doesn’t break the bank.

But this isn’t the 1930s anymore—the economy has changed and so has the Lipstick Effect. With the cost-of-living crisis impacting consumers globally, even luxury lipsticks are becoming less and less accessible. Instead, food has become the new luxury marker. A £6 croissant or a £9 matcha might not be a Chanel bag, but it offers indulgence, status, and aesthetic appeal—everything new age marketing thrives on, but now grounded in an essential human need: nourishment.

Take brands like RHODE for example, they are one of the first that are embracing this shift. They position their products within a luxury lifestyle that revolves around food culture—creating desire through sensory, visual, and emotionally charged content. It’s not just marketing a product anymore—it’s selling a feeling.

The Rise of “Little Treat” Culture

This trend goes beyond visuals, it runs deep withing modern consumers. It’s reshaping consumer habits, product naming and even social media micro-trends. Self-care is no longer just indulgent—it’s essential. That’s why the rise of “little treats”—whether a specialty coffee, a pastry, or a luxury chocolate bar—has become a powerful consumer behaviour. The psychology behind it? If life feels overwhelming, buying a small, sensory pleasure becomes a tangible act of self-kindness to one’s self.

In a new world that feels overwhelming, loud and chaotic; buying a small, sensory pleasure is a tangible act of self-kindness. And unlike other self-care products, food is an essential and food-inspired trends have made their way into every aspect of consumer’s lives and social media feeds. Beauty, wellness, and lifestyle: think donut nails, blueberry milk nails, strawberry makeup, self-care matcha, even the skin care brand ‘the ordinary’ selling cartons of eggs at affordable prices in a pop up in New York. These trends thrive because they’re aesthetic, relatable, and emotionally resonant—and they’re perfect for sharing on social media.

But Like All Trends, This One Has a Shelf Life

As more brands hop on the “food as luxury” train, its impact starts to dull. Consumers are becoming more aware—more tired—of influencer-led marketing and undisclosed advertisements. As more brands adopt the hyper-curated “food as luxury” aesthetic, its impact begins to dull and more and more un-inspired.

The self-care narrative, while powerful, is starting to blur the line between indulgence and overconsumption. And with growing environmental concerns and calls for authenticity, audiences are craving something real.

So, what’s next?

GKE MEDIA predicts The Return of Nostalgia Marketing: Authenticity Over Excess

Welcome back, 80s and 90s nostalgia. As consumers seek genuine emotional connection, brands are pivoting to campaigns inspired by pre-internet luxury—think grainy film, candid celebrity shots, and storytelling-driven campaigns. The "Old Money" aesthetic is shifting into something grittier—less curated perfection, more effortless cool. We have already started to this shift in marketing within publication such as vogue who has become the first to introduce the ‘vintage revamp’.

Authenticity is taking centre stage, and brands and artists who offer real, relatable narratives are standing out.

Cultural Case Studies: Realness Reigns

• Doechii – Her rise from humble beginnings to unapologetic success is documented in her own words via her YouTube channel, where she shared her creative journey using The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Her transparency and hard work resonate with fans who crave sincerity over polish.

• Sabrina Carpenter – Her rebrand has merged nostalgia and modernity perfectly. Drawing from 1950s and 60s retro aesthetics, her Short n’ Sweet album campaign is a lesson in evolving public image while staying authentic. It’s polished, nostalgic, and deeply strategic.

• Burberry – Their “It’s Always Burberry Weather: London in Love” campaign draws from early 2000s British rom-coms like Love Actually and The Holiday. It’s not just fashion—it’s storytelling, weaving romance, rain, and British charm into a visually stunning campaign.

• Vogue x eBay – Vogue’s collaboration with eBay repositions second-hand as a new frontier of luxury. By curating high-fashion vintage finds and championing sustainability, this partnership gives pre-loved fashion a polished glow-up. It signals a new era where authenticity and archival aesthetics hold just as much status as something brand new.

• RHODE – After pioneering the "food as luxury" aesthetic with their skin-glazed strawberry visuals and dewy croissant-core campaigns, RHODE has pivoted once again—this time tapping into 80s workout culture to launch their peptide lip pencils. Think: bold colour palettes, gym-glam nostalgia, and editorial motion that channels VHS-era aerobics. As always, RHODE proves they're not just riding trends—they’re setting them.

These examples show a larger shift: we’re moving from aesthetic overload to emotional depth. Nostalgia isn’t just a trend—it’s a strategy. It’s about crafting connections that last, not just content that trends.

Our Forecast? Feeling Over Food.

GKE MEDIA predicts that the next big movement in marketing isn’t about food—it’s about feeling. Brands that lead with storytelling, sincerity, and nostalgic connection will be the ones that thrive.

We’re stepping into a new era of luxury marketing—one where authenticity, not excess, is the ultimate flex.

So… Are You Ready? Because We Are.

At GKE MEDIA, we don’t just follow trends—we anticipate them. Our work goes beyond aesthetics—we build narratives that resonate and strategies that feel both fresh and familiar. From branding to social strategy, we help brands move with culture instead of chasing it.

Ready to redefine luxury marketing?

Let’s do it. Together.