05/03/2023

AARP Responds to Viral Posts With Benefits Contest

Wealthy organizations engage in unique ways

An association has seized on a TikTok trend discussing its benefits and built a public-facing contest around it.

On April 19, AARP announced the launch of a national search for an "AARP Benefits Badass," the member who has found the most clever ways to use or promote the benefits offered by the association for Americans aged 50 and older. According to a press release, AARP will select 25 finalists from submissions, which will then be voted on by the general public; the winner will receive $50,000.

According to the AARP release, the idea was sparked by a trend of 20-somethings learning that not only are they eligible for benefits from the association but also making robust use of them. A July 2021 TikTok post by Zachary Burr Abel on the topic went viral, garnering 3.2 million likes and nearly 350,000 shares. In his post, Abel noted that AARP has no minimum age to join and mentioned discounts on plane tickets, restaurants, car rentals and hotels. 

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