• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, December 23, 2020

Well aware that this holiday season is especially hard on grandparents and grandparent-craving family members,  Amazon Devices is unleashing a content campaign from a new crop of “granfluencers.” With a kickoff video from not-very-crafty actor Pete Davidson and his Poppy, the idea is to showcase the Amazon Echo Show and ways families can use it for impromptu drop-in visits.

“We were inspired by Pete Davidson’s deep relationship with Poppy,” an Amazon spokesperson tells Marketing Daily via email. “People can relate to how meaningful it is to have a Poppy in their life—whether it’s your grandma, grandpa, parent, aunt, or any loved one you miss right now.”

The effort stars an eclectic group of tech-savvy seniors, including Baddie Winkle and Food Network star Nancy Fuller. And from the TikTok realm, it’s chosen Lili Droniak and Granny Coy.

The spokesperson says the goal of the campaign is to show different ways “families can stay connected virtually this year and keep their holiday traditions alive," adding that "grandparents are the centerpiece of the holidays. They bring families together with their stories, their unconditional affection, and their traditions.”

Created by HunterPR and Team Bubbly, the campaign is running on digital channels. The full-length Pete-and-Poppy video is running on YouTube, with shorter versions on Facebook and Twitter. And Influencer content is running mostly on Instagram, with some posts on TikTok.

As part of the effort, Amazon is giving $1 million to Answer the Call, an organization that supported Davidson and his family after 9/11. The gift also includes Amazon devices for families of first responders.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control urges all families to celebrate virtually, as cases of COVID-19 continue to surge around the country. And while older people are especially at risk, they’re also among the loneliest. Some 28% of Americans 65 and older live alone. And because they have lower incomes, they continue to be less connected.