When Memories Drive Actions: Nostalgic Advertising Impacts on Brand Admiration and Advocacy in Fast-Food Restaurants

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29036/a8xcxh02

Keywords:

brand admiration model, nostalgic advertising, brand advocacy, emotional engagement, brand prominence, fast- food restaurants.

Abstract

In saturated service markets, brands use emotionally resonant strategies, such as nostalgic advertising, to strengthen consumer relationships and encourage advocacy. This study builds on the Brand Admiration Model (BAM). It examines how nostalgic advertising affects brand admiration and advocacy. The study also considers emotional customer engagement as a mediator and brand prominence as a moderator. The research uses a quantitative design and collects data from a convenience sample of 374 fast-food restaurant customers in Egypt. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed relations. The findings show that nostalgic advertising predicts brand admiration, emotional engagement, and advocacy. Emotional engagement partly mediates the effects of nostalgic advertising on brand admiration and advocacy, showing nostalgia-driven emotions are key to favorable brand outcomes. Brand admiration strongly drives advocacy, underscoring its role in motivating consumers to promote brands. The analysis finds that brand prominence only strengthens the link between brand admiration and advocacy, so admired brands gain more from advocacy if they are top of mind with consumers. This study advances the BAM by introducing nostalgia as a strategic cue in hospitality and foodservice. Findings show that nostalgic campaigns foster engagement and admiration, particularly for prominent brands seeking greater word of mouth and advocacy. By empirically testing nostalgic advertising in the Brand Admiration Model in an emerging hospitality market, the study reveals how emotion-based strategies enhance brand admiration in quick-service restaurants. These findings guide hospitality and fast-food managers to apply nostalgic marketing to build brand advantages.

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Author Biographies

  • Mostafa Abdulmawla, Hotel Studies Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt, and Higher Institute of Specific Studies, Cairo, Egypt

    Dr. Mostafa Abdulmawla brings a unique global perspective to tourism and hospitality research. Jointly supervised by Fayoum University, Egypt, and the University of Salento, Italy, he holds a PhD in Tourism and Hospitality. He is currently an associate professor of hospitality management at Fayoum University, Egypt. His research interests span hospitality service marketing, fast-food studies, the governance and accountability of hospitality establishments, and hospitality service innovation. Not only has he published in prestigious Q1 journals, but he also serves as an active reviewer for these journals.

  • Abdullah Saad Rashed, Department of Marketing, College of Business Administration, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia

    Dr. Abdullah Saad Rashed is an Assistant Professor of Marketing in the Department of Marketing, College of Business Administration, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia. He earned his PhD in Marketing, and his research focuses on consumer behavior, brand management, marketing strategy, marketing communications, digital marketing, customer experience, and green marketing.

  • Omar Alsetoohy, Department of Hotel Management, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, University of Sadat City, Egypt

    Dr. Omar Alsetoohy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Hotel Management at the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, University of Sadat City, Egypt. He earned his Ph.D. from Auburn University, USA, and the University of Sadat City, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Auburn University. His research focuses on hospitality management, green practices, sustainability, and hotel food supply chain management.

  • Ahmad Samed Al-Adwan, Business Technology Department, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan

    Dr. Ahmad Samed Al-Adwan is a distinguished academic and researcher in the field of Information Systems, currently serving as a Professor at the Department of Business Technology, Business School, Al-Ahliyya Amman University in Jordan. Prof. Al-Adwan holds a PhD in Management Information Systems Studies/E-business and an MSc in Information Technology Management from the University of Wales in the United Kingdom. His research interests include computer-human interaction, technology adoption, e-commerce, educational technology, and e-government, among others.

  • Rania Mohamed Menesey, Hospitality Management Department, Higher Institute of Tourism & Hotel, Alexandria, Egypt

    Dr. Rania Mohamed Menesey serves as Associate Professor of Hospitality Management at the Higher Institute of Tourism and Hotels (King Marriott), Alexandria, Egypt. She earned a PhD in Hospitality Management and has extensive teaching and research experience focused on tourism and hotel studies. Her research specifically examines hospitality marketing, consumer behavior, service quality, and experiential consumption within emerging tourism markets. Dr. Menesey’s recent work also analyzes the influence of digital platforms and innovation on hotel and tourism services.

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Published

2026-06-01

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 32 (2026): Journal of Tourism and Services

Section

Scientific Papers

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Tourism and Services

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Journal of Tourism and Services (ISSN 1804-5650) is published by the Center for International Scientific Research of VŠO and VŠPP in cooperation with the following partners:

  • Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Faculty of Economics and Tourism, Croatia
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  • Szent István University, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Hungary
  • Pan-European University, Faculty of Business, Prague, Czech Republic
  • Pan-European University, Faculty of Entrepreneurship and Law, Prague, Czech Republic
  • University of Debrecen Faculty of Economics and Business, Hungary
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How to Cite

Abdulmawla, M., Rashed, A. S., Alsetoohy, O., Al-Adwan, A. S., & Menesey, R. M. (2026). When Memories Drive Actions: Nostalgic Advertising Impacts on Brand Admiration and Advocacy in Fast-Food Restaurants. Journal of Tourism and Services, 17(32), 288-313. https://doi.org/10.29036/a8xcxh02