Then & Now: Nostalgic Film Locations

A key platform in AARP’s efforts to reach and engage Generation X, Instagram presents an opportunity to enhance perceptions of our brand and establish meaningful connections through the development of relatable, entertaining and visually engaging content. Nostalgia can be a powerful tool for creating those connections, with content that uplifts and engages audiences through the commonality of shared experiences that have shaped their lives. That is the motivation behind one of our longest-running and most popular Instagram series.

THE CONCEPT:
Pop culture anniversaries often drive conversation on social media platforms, as fans reminisce about the movies and music that left a lasting impression on their lives. To tap into these moments, we developed an Instagram series capturing the nostalgia of iconic movie locations from some of the most beloved films of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s – each post juxtaposing a still image from the movie against its modern-day location to create a compelling then-vs-now visual story, paired with post copy highlighting the people, places, and phrases that made each movie a Gen X classic.

The series has been an audience favorite each year, as we’ve featured unforgettable scenes from movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Pretty Woman, Boyz n the Hood, A League of Their Own, The Outsiders, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and more.

In 2023, as video content grew exponentially on Instagram, we saw an opportunity to expand this popular photo series by creating a companion reel for each photo post. Now, in addition to capturing still images, our photographer films short video clips at each location and edits them together against a simple music track. By pivoting to include a video component, we are able to drive deeper engagement with our followers and increase discoverability among new audiences.

THE RESULTS:
The combination of still photography and lo-fi reels took the Nostalgic Film Locations series to a new level, with one video reaching 3.8M views and two more exceeding 1M each. Since adding video in 2023, this series has reached 8.4M users and generated 9M views, 360,000 engagements, 3,500 comments and 27,000 shares.