How do you enhance perceptions of your brand and establish a connection with a generation that has often been overlooked?
Once dubbed “America’s neglected middle child,” Generation X has quietly aged into AARP’s 50-plus community. Our challenge: How do we capture the attention of Generation X and establish AARP as a destination for them? Our solution: Develop an engaging presence on TikTok with entertaining and relatable content that resonates with Gen Xers and makes them feel seen. Suprise, surprise!
Our objectives are straightforward:
Engage Gen X through entertaining, relatable content that resonates with their life experiences.
Enhance perceptions of AARP and increase brand affinity among this key demographic.
Our first year on TikTok taught us that humor, nostalgia and relatability were key elements for success. With that in mind, we developed the concept for a new content series: “When Gen X ____” – intended to reach and engage our audience on a deep and personal level.
If there's one thing that brings a generation together, it’s the music of their childhood. And when you're the “MTV Generation,” the music of the 80s and 90s is basically part of your DNA. Enter “When Gen X ____,” our content series featuring “AARP TikTok Guy” Craig Moorhead taking center stage in a musical exploration of the Gen X experience.
Each video features Craig absentmindedly singing to himself, inserting his own lyrics into popular Gen X songs as he goes about his day. Whether getting ready for company, making lunch, or in the throes of a minor illness, Craig exhibits the very Gen X trait of having a persistent internal monologue made up of pop hits from his youth. The series captures the essence of Gen X's unique perspective through the lens of humor, nostalgia, relatability – and a soundtrack that defines a generation.
Through Craig's relatable and entertaining portrayal of everyday scenarios, the series resonates with the experiences and memories of Gen X viewers, fostering a sense of nostalgia and connection. The concept also positions AARP as a relevant and relatable presence in the lives of Generation X.
This series is a perfect example of how our TikTok content succeeds at making Gen X “feel seen.” So far, the first six episodes of “When Gen X _____” have generated:
3.1 million views
137,000 likes
3,500 comments
10,600 shares
It has also moved the needle when it comes to building brand affinity among Gen Xers. The proof is in the comments, which show an overwhelmingly positive sentiment as users find unexpected joy on our channel:
“😂🤣 that’s our GenX superpower .. we can transform any activity into a song. I do it all day long”
“I’m simultaneously crushed that I’m watching an AARP account with such interest and looking forward to more of this very relatable content 😂🤣”
“holy smokes!!! Thought my brain was the only one that did this!!!!”
“😂😂 I'm so glad I'm not the only one like this 😅”
“After reading the comments, I went "Yes! I found my people!" 😂”
“I've never felt more seen in my life and I'm not sure how to feel about that AARP”
“AARP been doing their homework on genx. 😂 This is 💯”
“Highly amused by this and low key mad at being attacked like this. 😅”
“I’m singing along to every song. Am I AARP now???”
“I’ve been bamboozled!! How is @aarp this cool?!?!? 😂”
“If AARP is the only one who really sees Gen X … I’m here for it”
“Wow! We’re finally seen 😂 I mean it’s AARP and they are on point but 😂😂”
