Laughlin Constable is sending a holiday card this year that smells like memories and maybe a little like your past. In a season dominated by screens, prompts, and artificial everything, the agency decided to go analog where it counts, straight to the senses.
As 2025 cemented itself as the year of AI, the industry has only grown more efficient, more automated, and arguably more disconnected. Laughlin Constable’s response is Nostalgia, a custom holiday fragrance that bottles the perfectly imperfect moments many of us remember from technology free holidays. It is a playful reminder that real human connection still hits harder than any algorithm.
The candle features notes of fresh pine tree from a random parking lot, stale peppermints from grandma’s purse, an overly cologned new boyfriend, and yes, gingerbread. It is specific, strange, and instantly familiar in the way only true memories can be. Watch below:
That idea of emotional specificity is very much the point. As CEO Anthony Romano puts it, “We believe that deeply emotional, nostalgic storytelling will re-emerge as the real hero of 2026.” He adds, “So, with this year’s LC Holiday Card, we wanted to create a simple reminder that in this world that feels more and more artificial and disconnected, the moments that move us at our core are still those perfectly imperfect human moments.”
To introduce Nostalgia, the agency created an indie film-style teaser that leans into humor and warmth rather than spectacle. The spot positions the candle as both a wink at holiday excess and a sincere attempt to reconnect people with the feelings that often get lost in scrolling. Creative Chairman Jon Laughlin sums it up clearly. “AI may define 2025, but it can’t replace the human moments we crave most.” He continues, “Nostalgia is our way of bottling those memories, as a reminder that warmth and wit still matter in a tech-heavy world. We wanted to send a warm, nostalgic message while poking a little fun at the season and invoking the memories we all hold dear.”
Nostalgia launches December 17 and will be delivered to Laughlin Constable clients, prospects, and industry peers as this year’s holiday card. The teaser film is available online, and additional details, images, and team credits are available below.
CREDITS:
- Pat Laughlin, Chief Creative Officer
- Jon Laughlin, Chief Creative Officer
- Randall Kenworthy, Creative Director
- Caroline Robb, Art Director
- Elli Levi, Copywriter
- Connor Weitz, Associate Director, Content Creation
- Vincent Geraghty, EVP, Production and Hive Content Studio
- Clayton Ingalls, Associate Editor
- Carly Hanley-Lupou, Senior Producer
- Tony Berg, Traffic Manager
- Sarah Como, Director, Growth & Development
- John Lersch, Owner, Waxed Candle Company LLC
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