Aim: This study aims to explore the Chinese consumer's perception and preference for the use of traditional Chinese cultural elements (TCCEs) in marketing from two aspects: nostalgia formation and nostalgia preference. Methods: This study adopted the method of qualitative research. The data was collected by the students from the Zhejiang University of Technology through video semi-structured interviews. The four cases of TCCEs products are bottled water, lipstick, pajama, and stationery. They were used in the semi-structured interview. Result & Conclusions: This study concluded that age, gender, and personal experience could influence the formation of nostalgia. Besides, nostalgia advertisements and products can stimulate consumers’ positive emotions, thus generating nostalgia preference. Contribution & implication: From the perspective of companies, nostalgia marketing needs to be customized according to the characteristics of target consumers, i.e., their gender, age, and personal experience. Additionally, the connection between the product and TCCEs should be considered carefully in order to improve the understanding and acceptance of TCCEs products from consumers.