From Nostalgia to Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Brand Love in Collectible Toy Consumption

Wynetta Metasurya (Maranatha Christian University, Faculty of Business, Master of Management, Bandung)
Anny Nurbasari (Maranatha Christian University, Faculty of Business, Master of Management, Bandung)

Jurnal Informatika Ekonomi Bisnis
Vol. 8, No. 3 (September 2026)

The growing popularity of collectible toys has shifted consumer behavior from functional consumption toward emotionally driven consumption. Among collectible brands, Barbie has maintained strong relevance across generations by evoking nostalgic memories and fostering emotional connections with consumers. In Indonesia, the Barbie collector community continues to demonstrate strong engagement through collecting activities, social interactions, and long-term commitment to the brand. Despite the growing importance of nostalgia-based marketing in collectible markets, limited studies have examined how nostalgia marketing influences brand loyalty through emotional mechanisms. In particular, the mediating role of brand love in explaining the relationships among nostalgia marketing, brand attachment, and brand loyalty remains insufficiently explored within the context of collectible toy consumers. This study aims to examine the influence of nostalgia marketing and brand attachment on brand loyalty, with brand love serving as a mediating variable among Barbie collectors in Indonesia. A quantitative approach was employed using a survey method. Data was collected from active Barbie collectors through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. The findings reveal that nostalgia marketing positively and significantly influences both brand attachment and brand love. Brand attachment also has a significant positive effect on brand love and brand loyalty. Furthermore, brand love significantly influences brand loyalty and mediates the relationships between nostalgia marketing and brand loyalty as well as between brand attachment and brand loyalty. These results indicate that emotional mechanisms play a crucial role in transforming nostalgic experiences and psychological attachment into long-term loyalty among collectible toy consumers. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of nostalgia-based branding, emotional storytelling, community engagement, and collector-oriented marketing strategies in strengthening emotional bonds and fostering sustainable brand loyalty.