AARP’s Real People, Real Stories is a branded content series that celebrates the actions of ordinary individuals from diverse backgrounds who have made an extraordinary impact on themselves and a wider community. The series reflects AARP’s mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age, using personal stories to spark broader conversations about age, identity, and community.
Since 2021, this series has been a hallmark performer on AARP’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, consistently earning an exceptional amount of views and engagement. It continues AARP’s tradition of producing powerful documentary-style profiles, but reimagined in a streamlined, scalable format optimized for social media.
Our core objectives were to expand the pipeline of authentic, diverse voices; create emotionally resonant content that inspires and uplifts; and drive deeper connection with audiences by sharing stories that reflect real, lived experiences. Our hypothesis was that by finding and telling stories that speak to a variety of audiences and meeting them where they were – on social media – we could attract target audiences while broadening appeal through universal themes of resilience, purpose, and community impact.
Through this approach, we aimed not only to deepen audience engagement but also to position AARP as a leader in inclusive and inspiring social media content that challenges outdated perceptions of aging.
To achieve our goal of producing a scalable, social-first and age-positive human interest video series with consistent quality and emotional impact, we developed a clear strategic framework for Real People, Real Stories. At the core of this framework was a need for repeatable storytelling that didn’t compromise authenticity, so we built a templated visual and narrative structure optimized for social platforms and fast production timelines.
Each video in this series features a central character that aligns with AARP’s social mission and includes an originally filmed interview and b-roll. Before deciding what characters to focus on or stories to tell, each “Real People Story” must meet three core tenets: it must be a people-driven human interest story that connects, inspires, and uplifts; it must have a clear and lasting impact on the individual and a wider community; and it must be able to answer the question,“Why is AARP telling this story?”
“Why is AARP telling this story?” is our most important tenet when telling any story, especially our Real People Story profiles. Whether highlighting a caregiving issue, or illustrating ways to be healthy and fulfilled as you age, our stories should connect with our core audience and highlight AARP’s mission of helping people “to live with dignity and purpose and fulfill their goals and dreams.”
Many of our subjects are part of the 50+ community, and through their incredible stories, we aim to break age stereotypes. Whether we are featuring a group of women in their 60s and 70s who regularly dive into local ponds to clean up trash, or a 51-year-old man who cycles thousands of miles to unveil hidden African American history, we are not only challenging misconceptions about age and ability, but also demonstrating that one's goals and potential impact do not diminish with age.
As a social-first video series, we recognize the importance of visual storytelling, particularly for “sound-off” viewing. Our unified graphics package and engaging text-on-screen enhance the storytelling experience, ensuring that viewers are captivated right from the start. Testing our concepts and refining our approach has allowed us to develop a series that has become AARP’s most engaged social video series.
By consistently producing a dynamic array of these powerful profiles, we reinforce our commitment to showcasing authentic, diverse voices, creating a storytelling platform that truly inspires, connects, and empowers viewers in their journey through aging.
Since its inception, Real People, Real Stories has become the most-engaging video series on AARP’s Facebook account, reaching nearly 47 million people as of June 2025. With 72 episodes, we’ve celebrated over 29 million views and 3.4 million interactions. The heartfelt comments show just how much our stories resonate with viewers and make our team proud.
Here are examples of comments from our video series over the past year:
'Bicycle Nomad’ Retraces Black History
“Wow! This was the most inspiring story I've seen on a very long time. Awesome job Erick Cedeño! Thanks for sharing this small piece of Black History, of unsung heroes! 😇🙏🏽”
Former Exec Provides Free Lawn Care for Older Adults
“Wonderful Brian! Such a kind gesture makes all the difference in people's live! God bless you and your growing family.”
New Yorker Helps Victims of Domestic Violence Move for Free
“Wow! This man is one of the angels among us.❤️”
Animal Lover Opens His Heart and Home to Older Dogs
“OMG, you might just possibly the best human ever! Thank you for your commitment and love for these oft forgotten creatures. 💕, you are an inspiration to the rest of us. Love you 😘”
These Older Women Are Making a Splash Diving for Trash
“Women have been doing the work of conservation for decades at all ages of their lives. Women being active in their 60s to 80s shouldn’t be surprising. If you want it done, ask a woman.”
