Grandmas turn social media fame into income through brand deals

Lillian Droniak, a 96-year-old from Connecticut known online as Grandma Droniak, went viral in June and is one of several older women turning social media followings into money. She has 15 million followers and earns enough from brand deals to pay her $12,000 (£9,000) monthly nursing home fees.

Droniak's viral moment came after she said her retirement home had threatened to evict her over parties. The home confirmed the threat and reached a settlement with her, allowing her to keep partying but not to supply alcoholic drinks. Her grandson began helping her post videos in 2020 out of boredom, and he now edits sponsored content for food and beauty brands. The money also goes towards a college fund for her great-grandchildren. She says other residents do not grasp her fame because they do not use TikTok.

Cardiff creator and Italian nonna In Cardiff, 82-year-old Viv Truran started posting on Instagram after losing her husband, when a neighbour suggested filming her colourful outfits. She now has more than 800,000 followers and makes two videos a day from her bedroom-turned-studio, showing off clothes, 22 pairs of glasses and two drawers of scarves. Strangers, often women in their 20s and 30s, stop her to say she makes getting old seem less frightening. Brands have noticed; Truran says she would be "stupid" not to do deals but is selective, doing a couple of sponsored posts a month and favouring local brands and charities such as Age UK, which paid her several thousand for a recent campaign.

Grace Geramita, 85, known as Nonna Gracie, has millions of followers who watch her cook recipes she has made for decades. She moved from Italy to the US at 18 and worked multiple jobs to raise two daughters; she now earns more than she did in a previous job. Her grandson Matthew suggested filming her cooking six years ago, though she knew little about social media. She says she cries when messages arrive from around the world and wants to pass on the tradition of bringing family together around the table.

Barbara Costello, 77, a former teacher, shares cooking, cleaning and homemaking videos on Brunch with Babs. Followers tell her she reminds them of their mother or grandmother, and some call her "the mom I never had". She works with brands carefully and says a highlight is meeting former pupils at book signings with their own children.

Why brands are interested Naomi Baker from the influencer marketing agency We Are Social says older creators are attractive to brands because they often have deeply established, highly loyal communities with greater purchasing power, which carries a massive premium. She says their wholesome content can also offer comfort in an uncertain world and act as a "virtual grandma" for followers.

Source: BBC Business.