American candy manufacturer Spangler Candy Company demonstrates revenue growth of 3–5% annually by leveraging a portfolio of brands over 100 years old. The company doesn't create its own confectionery brands; instead, it acquires assets with history—often from bankruptcy—and revives them through heritage work and nostalgia. In a $55 bln category dominated by chocolate giants like M&M's and Reese's, this strategy has allowed Spangler to secure a stable niche without needing to compete on product innovation.
A growth model built on acquiring heritage, not creating brands
Spangler was founded in 1906 as a soda and spice manufacturer, entering the confectionery segment two years later. Today, its portfolio consists exclusively of candy brands, none developed in-house. Its flagship asset is Dum Dums, miniature lollipops on sticks, which Spangler acquired in 1953. The brand now produces 2.3 bln units annually, distributed in banks, schools, barbershops—high-traffic locations with frequent consumer touchpoints.
In 1954, the company added Christmas candy cane production and grew its share to half the American market in this category. In 2018, it acquired Necco Wafers—a nearly 200-year-old brand. In 2020, it purchased Bit-O-Honey and Sweethearts (conversation hearts with printed messages). All these deals share a common pattern: Spangler buys assets during moments of financial stress or bankruptcy, when owners can't sustain the brand.
«These brands possess incredible history. It protects them from competitors—you can't replicate such nostalgia and heritage overnight,» — Evan Brock, Vice President of Marketing at Spangler.
How forgotten brand revival works: the Bit-O-Honey case study
After acquiring Bit-O-Honey, the Spangler team conducted a brand audit and concluded it needed a refresh. The brand's target audience was adult consumers, but the packaging and visual identity looked childish. Spangler updated the design, making the bee character less infantile, and returned to the original recipe: softening the bar and increasing the almond content. The result—50% sales growth over the past year.
Sweethearts received a classic flavor blend and crunch based on the original formula. But Spangler added contemporary relevance through content: ahead of Valentine's Day 2026, the hearts featured phrases like «Split Rent», «Share Login», and «Buy in bulk»—ironic messages about romance amid economic constraints. Classic messages («Cutie Pie», «Marry me») remained. The campaign garnered attention and positioned Sweethearts as the only "talking" candy brand on the market.
Not all assets require changes. Spangler left Necco Wafers unchanged: research showed consumers valued the authenticity of the nearly two-century-old brand, and any modifications risked damaging the connection with the audience. The strategy is individual for each asset and built on understanding how the target group perceives the brand.
What Russian brands can learn from Spangler's model
Working with heritage and nostalgia is a tool applicable across categories from food products to electronics and clothing. The key principle: a brand's historical capital converts into loyalty and protection from copying, but it requires maintaining relevance through packaging, messaging, and communication channels. For the Russian market, this is especially relevant in segments with Soviet heritage—confectionery brands, cosmetics, textiles.
Reviving a forgotten brand or supporting a historical one requires precise targeting. Influencer advertising works here as a channel for testing messaging and gathering feedback: bloggers with audiences 30+ help verify if the nostalgia mechanic resonates, which identity elements need updating, and which should be preserved. Media buying with reach and engagement forecasts allows you to assess campaign potential before rolling out mass distribution. If your brand works with heritage or plans to refresh a historic brand, the ETC team will help build a media plan with blogger selection, CPM calculation, and KPIs for each integration stage.
Frequently asked questions
What is nostalgia branding?
It's a positioning strategy where a brand relies on historical heritage, emotional connection with the past, and recognition accumulated over decades. It works by preserving classic identity elements (packaging, taste, logo) while strategically updating communication and promotion channels. It's effective in categories with long brand lifecycles—confectionery, beverages, cosmetics.
How can a brand determine whether it needs to change the product or just update the packaging?
Target audience research is required: qualitative interviews, focus groups, or social media mention analysis will reveal what consumers value—taste, recipe, visuals, or simply the brand's existence. If loyalty is tied to the product (as with Necco Wafers), changing it is risky. If the problem lies in perception of outdated packaging or communication (as with Bit-O-Honey), updating the visuals and messaging while preserving the essence is sufficient.
Does nostalgia marketing work for younger audiences?
Yes, if modern communication formats are integrated. Young consumers respond to their parents' nostalgia and past aesthetics as a trend (like the return of 90s and 2000s fashion). Spangler uses current messaging on Sweethearts while preserving the classic product format—keeping the brand relevant for Gen Z without losing identity.
In brief
- Spangler Candy shows 3–5% annual growth by leveraging a portfolio of long-lived brands over 100 years old, acquired from bankruptcy.
- The company produces 2.3 bln Dum Dums lollipops annually and controls 50% of the American candy cane market.
- Reviving Bit-O-Honey through returning to the original recipe and updating packaging delivered +50% sales growth in a year.
- Not all brands require changes: Necco Wafers were left unchanged to preserve authenticity and connection with the audience.
- Nostalgia branding works when communication is kept current—Sweethearts added ironic messages about romance amid economic constraints.
- For Russian brands with Soviet heritage, influencer advertising becomes a tool for testing the relevance of nostalgic messaging and assessing campaign potential.
Want to see where the market is heading before your competitors do? The ETC team builds a media strategy and media plan for your niche — with reach forecasts and KPIs fixed in the contract.
