At each venue, concertgoers could pose in front of The Rolling Stones’ iconic “Hot Lips.”Photo: Arturo Olmos for AARP
While members of the Stones may be young at heart, they average about 80 years old in age, which means their fans tend to skew a little older. So, it makes sense that AARP, the nonprofit organization that’s dedicated to Americans 50 and older, served as the official tour sponsor, activating at every show in the U.S. with a 400-square-foot footprint designed to position the brand face-to-face with fans.
“Part of the AARP culture is to sponsor events and help bridge generations, just like what the Stones do as well,” said Jason Weinstein, AARP’s vice president of event strategy and service, about the partnership between the band and the organization. “Our message is: At every age we are still producing and creating."
AARP’s presence at multiple major music festivals across the country was noticed by the tour promoter, he explained, ultimately leading to the brand becoming the official tour sponsor.
At each venue, concertgoers could either pose in front of The Rolling Stones’ iconic “Hot Lips” or strap on a guitar and stand in front of a stage backdrop. Attendees could also grab some drumsticks and drum along to the beat displayed on video screens, which matched the rhythms to one of 15 classic rock songs. After they finished, participants were offered a quick fact about the important connection between music and brain health.
As you would expect with a major concert tour, Weinstein said that there were tight turnarounds between shows, e.g., going from Foxboro, Mass., to Orlando in three days, or Cleveland to Denver in four days, along with navigating different stadiums—“as no two are alike.” That included jurisdictions with different regulations and providing various engineering and design documents in order to obtain permits.
This was the second concert tour AARP has sponsored, the first being Alan Jackson. The brand has also activated at major music festivals including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Cincinnati Music Festival, CMA Fest, Bourbon & Beyond, and more.
“At all of our activations at major music festivals, our goal is to introduce the music-loving audience to our brand and create a special moment for them to get face-to-face with AARP and learn about the important work that we are doing. And, of course, we want the fans to have an unforgettable time,” Weinstein said.
The organization's brand presence during the Hackney Diamonds Tour was a collaboration between AARP and DMI Music, AARP’s strategic music agency partner. The activation was created and designed by DMI, with fabrication managed by Curious Form.
The tour partnership was also facilitated by Nashville-based experiential marketing, event production, and talent procurement agency REACH, which guided negotiations and managed the partnership between the talent, tour promoter, AEG Presents’ Concerts West, and AARP.
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