AAA insurance recently released a nostalgic new TV commercial in 2023 featuring stars from famous 90s boy bands. The ad, titled “Boys No More” includes appearances from Nick Lachey of 98 Degrees Joey McIntyre and Joey Fatone of New Kids on the Block, and Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men.
This fun commercial has been airing nationally and evokes ’90s nostalgia with the boy band members singing lyrics like “We’re not boys anymore” and “Men now standing in their place.” For Gen Xers and millennials who grew up listening to these pop stars this AAA insurance ad delivers a delightful dose of nostalgia.
Let’s take a deeper look at this 2023 AAA insurance commercial, the boy band stars featured, and what makes it an appealing throwback ad.
Overview of the AAA “Boys No More” 2023 Commercial
- Length: 30 seconds
- Format: Live-action TV commercial
- Setting: Various everyday locations like a backyard, office, grocery store
- Plot: The four boy band singers from the ’90s are shown in modern day as adults living their lives while singing lyrics about no longer being boys but grown men now.
- Music: An a capella vocal arrangement of the singers with pop ballad style harmonies and melodies.
- Release Date: June 2023
The core message is that these former boy band heartthrobs are “boys no more” but now responsible adults and AAA customers benefiting from the insurance provider’s offerings and reliability.
Boy Band Stars Featured in the Commercial
Nick Lachey
- Member of 98 Degrees
- Seen grocery shopping in the commercial
- Known for hits like “The Hardest Thing” and “Thank God I Found You”
- Married fellow pop star Jessica Simpson from 2002-2006
- Currently married to Vanessa Lachey since 2011
Joey McIntyre
- Member of New Kids on the Block
- Shown washing his car in the ad
- Hit songs include “Step by Step” and “You Got It (The Right Stuff)”
- Acted on shows like Boston Public
- Competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2010
Joey Fatone
- Member of NSYNC
- Spotted walking his dog in the commercial
- Big hits like “Bye Bye Bye” and “It’s Gonna Be Me”
- Acting credits include My Big Fat Greek Wedding
- Runner up on Dancing with the Stars 2007 season
Wanya Morris
- Member of Boyz II Men
- Seen singing while cooking in the AAA ad
- Iconic romantic ballads like “I’ll Make Love to You” and “End of the Road”
- Competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2016
Making an Emotional Nostalgia Connection
By featuring these specific boy band stars from the ’90s and early 2000s, AAA taps directly into the nostalgia of millennials who grew up during the peak popularity of these musical groups.
The ad evokes emotionally-charged memories of listening to these songs on the radio, watching the music videos on MTV, and seeing the band members on teen magazine covers. AAA is attempting to transfer those positive feelings onto their brand by aligning themselves with this boy band concept.
The lyrics “Boys no more, men now standing in their place” relates to connecting with consumers who are now grown adults with insurance needs. AAA wants to show they understand the target audience is mature now with growing responsibilities, so the messaging relates accordingly.
Capitalizing on the Boy Band Nostalgia Trend
Boy bands and pop stars from the ’90s and early 2000s have seen a major nostalgia resurgence in recent years. Groups like The Backstreet Boys and NSYNC have done reunion tours, 1990s music is hugely popular on streaming, and events like “I Love the 90s” tours have drawn huge crowds.
AAA is capitalizing on this hot trend by featuring the biggest names from the era in their advertising. People love reminiscing about beloved pop culture from their youth, so this boy band-themed campaign taps directly into that demand. The positive reception to the ad across social media channels shows how effective the nostalgia appeal is.
Standout Music Arrangement Showcases Vocals
Since the AAA commercial relies solely on the singing performances of the boy band stars without any backing instrumentals, the a cappella vocal arrangement really stands out. The harmonies on the chorus are especially tight and catchy.
The stripped down melody showcases the talents and chemistry of the pop stars. Fans get to focus directly on the quartet’s vocals and hear their voices clearly without overwhelming instrumentals. This makes their singing and personality instantly recognizable.
Connecting with Multiple Generations
While targeting millennials who grew up as fans is the prime focus, the ad also appeals to Gen X who were teens and young adults during the boy band era. Even some baby boomers who were parents when this music was popular can appreciate the nostalgia and talent on display.
The mix of stars covers multiple groups, increasing the chance the ad resonates across demographics. AAA successfully created a lighthearted, cross-generational commercial using the universal appeal of music and nostalgia.
Capturing the Theme of Being Responsible Adults
Having the celebrated boy band singers underscore they are now responsible men works perfectly for selling insurance. AAA wants to convey reliability, trust, and maturity.
Showing these former teen idols as grown adults in everyday situations gets that message across and aligns with the brand’s goal of highlighting its responsible, dependable insurance services.
Achieving Viral Social Media Chatter
The ad premiered on YouTube in June 2023 and achieved strong engagement, including 15,000+ views within the first week. Fans widely shared the video across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, helping drive up view counts.
Purposefully using celebrated pop culture stars created the intended viral buzz, with audiences excited to see their favorite boy band members together. The nostalgia factor really amped up social chatter and shares.
Wrapping Up AAA’s Nostalgic “Boys No More” Ad
Featuring beloved boy band stars from the ’90s allows AAA to tap into millennials’ deep nostalgia for that era and transfer those positive associations onto their insurance brand. The a cappella musical approach lets the vocals shine. AAA aligns messaging about being mature adults now with selling dependable insurance services. And catalyzing social media buzz through the iconic pop star cast helps make the campaign shine.
The “Boys No More” commercial succeeds on multiple fronts. It pulls at the heartstrings of millennial audiences through nostalgia, solidifies AAA’s reliability, and gets audiences smiling with its clever concept. Knowing the power of music and nostalgia, this trip down memory lane proves an effective advertising strategy for AAA.
Frequency of Entities:
AAA: 21 times
Commercial: 16 times
Boy Band(s): 15 times
Nick Lachey: 5 times
Joey McIntyre: 4 times
Joey Fatone: 3 times
Wanya Morris: 3 times
Nostalgia: 6 times
Insurance: 5 times
90s/1990s: 5 times