Walgreens has partnered with influencers The Old Gays—four openly gay TikTok personalities in their 60s and 70s, known for their dancing and comedic videos.

In the TikTok video, posted as a paid partnership on their TikTok page, Jessay Martin, Robert Reeves and Mick Peterson learn about the MyWalgreens App and the digital tools accessed through it, including the 24/7 Pharmacy Chat, Save-a-Trip refills and 90-day prescriptions, while searching for their friend Bill Lyons. “Is it easy to use for old gays like us?” Robert inquired.

Bill, too, had discovered 90-day refills through the Walgreens App, with help from a handsome delivery man.

The video, created by WPP, also features Loza Theodros, a Walgreens pharmacist at an HIV-specialized pharmacy in Los Angeles, who informs the four friends about the app’s services. Like The Old Gays, whose TikTok following totals nearly 8 million, Theodros has accumulated a social media following, with over 22,000 Instagram followers.

“I’ve loved seeing my worlds collide in this opportunity with The Old Gays,” Theodros said, in a statement. "They bring light to their platform just by showing themselves navigating what it’s like to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Whether you’re old, young, gay, straight, a pharmacist, a TikTok influencer or something in between, Walgreens pharmacy services put you in control of your care—and put it at your fingertips.”

Meanwhile, Walgreens is facing social media calls for a boycott after an employee in a Wisconsin store allegedly cited religious beliefs when he refused to sell condoms to a customer. “Instances like this are very rare,” Walgreens said in a statement. The couple’s transaction was completed at the Wisconsin location, according to Walgreens.

Senior surge

Walgreens is no stranger to TikTok. The pharmacy chain's first video on the platform, showcasing one of its locations in Chicago, dates back to 2020.

The campaign’s launch comes amid a rise in social media usage among older consumers. Pew Research Center found that 73% of Americans ages 50-64, and 45% of seniors 65 and older use at least one social media site, as of last February.

With the beginning of the pandemic also came a surge in older shoppers' online purchases. Social media platforms like Facebook began targeting more seniors in their marketing efforts.

“The world is changing at a rapid rate and digitalization is a big part of it,” said Theodros.

The 2-minute clip can be found on The Old Gays TikTok page and was shared by Walgreens’ media team on Twitter.