Background:

In today's hyper-digital society, Generation Z, the most digitally immersed generation, has grown interested in analog media, such as Polaroid cameras. This resurgence reflects more than aesthetic preference; it signals deeper emotional, cultural, and psychological motivations. However, nostalgia is well-recognized as a driver of consumer behavior, existing research often overlooks how younger, digitally native consumers engage with retro technologies. These consumers do not engage with retro technologies through personal memory, but rather through curated digital exposure and lifestyle values.

Purpose:

This study uses Polaroid as a case study to help understand why Generation Z prefers analog media in a digital world. More specifically, this study looks at how nostalgia may influence this consumption and investigates the emotional and psychological needs that shape Generation Z’s use (e.g., to express identity, autonomy, and relatedness). The study integrates Nostalgia Theory with the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to offer a more unified view of analog consumption.

Method:

A qualitative research design with seventeen semi-structured interviews with Generation Z participants who actively use Polaroid cameras. Data was analyzed through thematic analysis with a hybrid inductive-deductive approach. Ultimately five core themes were found: nostalgia and emotional memory; identity and belonging; digital fatigue and slowing down; the influence of social media and pop culture; and tangible interaction and interpersonal connection.

Conclusion:

The results indicate that Generation Z's engagement with Polaroid is not purely based on nostalgia or trends. Rather, it represents a self-determined practice that fulfills core psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Nostalgia is important, but its role is dynamic as it moves from being an external entry point to an emotionally internalized amplifier. By bridging memory and motivation, this study contributes to a more in depth understanding of how analog media satisfies emotional and psychological desires in a digital world, offering insights for both academic theory and marketing practice.