PUBLISHED
Cougar Defense Proves Dominance after Gritty 0-0 Tie
CCU Women’s Soccer Press Release 10/3
The Colorado Christian University Cougars faced off against divisional opponent, University of Colorado Colorado Springs Mountain Lions, at 11 AM on Friday, October 3rd, at Trailblazer Stadium.
The first half was an electric defensive battle with an impressive, consistent effort from the Cougar collective and a lights-out performance by freshman keeper Mia Mares. Center backs Kira Merrell and Sadie Robertson set the tone for a resilient Cougar back line.
Despite a handful of strong offensive runs by Ava Dinverno, Justine Moreau, and Alexis Byrd, the Cougars remained scoreless in the first half.
The second half was more of the same from both teams. UCCS had several offensive chances but came up short against the Cougar defense. CCU also had multiple offensive runs but were met by an immovable UCCS defense.
The game ended in a nil-nil tie moving the Cougar’s record to 1-4-3.
The Cougars look toward their next match versus Adams State University on Sunday, October 5th, at Trailblazer Stadium at 1:00 PM MST.
Why Nostalgia Marketing Works So Well on Us (and Why That’s a Little Scary)
Disney has spent the past two decades proving nostalgia is a multi billion dollar business. Once the house of mouse realized people would shovel out small fortunes to relive their childhood they wasted no time capitalizing on the warm and fuzzy feelings associated with their classic films and iconic characters. While we all roll our eyes at the blatant cash grab, most of us are still seated in theaters waiting to see what our favorite childhood films look like in the twenty-first century. Why? Because nostalgia is a powerful emotion, maybe even too powerful.
Nostalgia marketing speaks directly to the emotional part of our brains, forcing us to face childhood memories and reminding us of what we remember to be simpler times. In this process our brains release dopamine, the same chemical that drives addiction and reward-seeking behavior According to a 2023 review in the Journal of Consumer Research, “nostalgia acts as a social emotion that can shape consumption behaviour by increasing consumers’ sense of connectedness and thereby influencing their willingness to purchase.”
Through their instance on producing live action remakes Disney has exploited this phenomenon better than almost any other company. Despite knowing the ending, people across the globe file into theaters to see their favorite films reimagined. While these remakes are rarely the most well-reviewed, they provide Disney with a steady and reliable stream of cash. Yahoo Finance even called nostalgia Disney’s “secret weapon,” noting that Disney+ uses its vast library of 1990s classics to lure millennials into paying monthly for content they’ve already seen. Having access to every movie ever made by Disney is the 1990’s equivalent of having the biggest VHS collection in the neighborhood.
There’s science behind that craving. The National Library of Medicine reports that nostalgia increases feelings of social connection and optimism, especially during uncertain times. While the future looks unpredictable and scary, people turn back to what they know, back to what is safe. With the current tense political climate, economic uncertainty, mental health crisis, and the looming AI takeover, many people are finding solace in the warm dependable past.
Although it might initially feel good, nostalgia marketing has a dark side, by reminding us of those “simpler times” we often forget those times weren’t simpler for everyone. We have a tendency to look at the past with rose colored glasses, forgetting the negatives and focusing on the comfort the past can provide us.
Additionally, when consumers and the media allow recycled versions of the same story or countless remakes with little to no differences at all, this allows the creatives to be complacent, ultimately stunting innovation and promoting mediocrity. Creativity is already under attack and allowing Hollywood to be lazy will only kill it faster.
Of course, nostalgia itself isn’t evil. At its core, nostalgia is a way to connect, a universal moment can unite people from all walks of life whether it's a Disney movie or an iconic sports moment. There is nothing inherently wrong with craving feelings from the past, or the desire to escape reality if only for a few moments. But, when marketers manipulate and create a false sense of security and sentimentality and use it to turn a profit, they are only preying on scared, sad individuals who long for peace.
So what should we do? Boycott Disney? Throw away our baby books? Completely erase the past from our memory? Of course not. The solution is not to completely avoid nostalgia but rather to be aware of its presence and how it works on us. When we buy tickets for the next Disney remake or spend hundreds of dollars on farewell tours we need to ask ourselves what is it that we’re actually buying? Do we desire the product or the feeling we believe it’ll give us?
Nostalgia will always have a place in our culture, it reminds us of where we’ve been and how we got here. But, constantly looking towards the past will in the long run limit our future. Maybe it’s time to reward new, innovative companies that will give us something to be nostalgic about 20 years down the road. The magic of our childhood is real and will always hold a special place but if we dwell on it for too long, we’ll undoubtedly miss the magic of our future.
