Nostalgia marketing has become an increasingly popular tool for brands to attract consumers and offer products that take them back to a simpler time. This thesis aims to investigate how nostalgia marketing influences consumer perception and explore sustainable techniques that brands can adopt to effectively utilize nostalgia. The study consisted of a literature review on nostalgia marketing, an analysis of interview data with consumers, and a discussion of the implications of the findings as they apply to brands. The study utilized a sample of 11 participants with a wide range of ages and genders. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings provide insight into what elements of items people find nostalgic and suggest strategies for companies to appeal to consumers sustainably and ethically. The results of this study highlight the need for responsible and sustainable marketing practices to ensure a positive impact on society and the environment.

The sudden turn to artificial intelligence has been widely supported because of the several proposed positive outcomes of using such technologies to support or replace humans. Automating tedious processes and removing potential human error is exciting for society, but some concerns must be addressed. This essay aims to understand how artificial intelligence can automate domains that likely significantly impact underprivileged and underrepresented groups. This essay will address the potentially devastating effects of algorithmic biases and AI’s contribution to perpetual economic inequality by surveying different domains, such as the justice system and the real estate industry. Without society broadly understanding the potential negative side effects on systems that matter, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence is a recipe for disaster. Everyone must become educated about AI’s current and potential implications before it is too late to stop its damaging effects.