Grandfluencers who successfully ageing are frequently labelled “cool”, yet the intersection of age and gender remains neglected in studies of digital coolness. This study examines how nine TikTok grandfluencers, each with over 100,000 followers, construct “cool ageing” through linguistic and visual cues, drawing on 27 of their most-viewed videos. Combining multimodal critical discourse analysis with a social semiotic approach, the sampled videos are treated as a macro-genre that governs how these creators present themselves to their audiences. Linguistically, coolness rests on simple syntax and a fragmented, spoken-language register that favours deliberate casualness. Humour and theatricality are the central multimodal tools, working through gaze and body movement, and extended by additional cues such as fashion, memetic actions, and video editing. Together, these strategies indicate that “cool ageing” on TikTok is a platform-shaped performance rather than an incidental effect of visibility. The study contributes to research on digital communication, platformisation and the self-presentation strategies of older grandfluencers.
Attardo, S., 2020. The Linguistics of Humour. Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198791270.001.0001.
Barsamian, E., 2017. Hillary Clinton Gives the Cool Grandma Uniform a Print-on-Print Upgrade. Vogue [online]. Available at: <https://www.vogue.com/article/hillary-clinton-print-dressing-cool-grandma-celebrity-street-style> [Accessed 17 April 2026].
Bateman, J. A., 2017. Triangulating Transmediality: A Multimodal Semiotic Framework Relating Media, Modes and Genres. Discourse, Context & Media, 20, pp. 160–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcm.2017.06.009.
Bateman, J. A., 2021a. Multisemiotic Artifacts between Modes and Media. Revista signos, 54 (107), pp. 842–866. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-09342021000300842.
Bateman, J. A., 2024. What is ‘Genre’? Theoretical Dimensions for the Analysis of Genre. In: Multidisciplinary views on discourse genre: a research agenda. Eds. N.M. Stukker, J.A. Bateman, D.S. McNamara, W. Spooren. New York: Routledge, pp. 10–46.
Bateman, J. A., Heller, V., Moschini, I., Sindoni, M. G., 2024. Genre Beyond Boundaries: Toward a Definition. In: Multidisciplinary Views on Discourse Genre. Eds. N. Stukker, J.A. Bateman, D. McNamara, W. Spooren. New York: Routledge, pp. 47–84. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003335603-3.
Bateman, J. A., Wildfeuer, J., Hiippala, T., 2017. Multimodality: Foundations, Research and Analysis – A Problem-Oriented Introduction. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110479898.
Blommaert, J., 2015. Meaning as a Nonlinear Effect: The Birth of Cool. AILA Review, 28, pp. 7–27. https://doi.org/10.1075/aila.28.01blo.
Cotten, S. R., Schuster, A.M., Seifert, A., 2022. Social Media Use and Well-Being Among Older Adults. Current Opinion in Psychology, 45, art. 101293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.12.005.
Dai, H., 2025. Social Media and Age-Based Stereotypes: The Reinforcement or Alleviation of Ageism. Communications in Humanities Research, 53 (1), pp. 27–33. https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7064/2025.LC20854.
Danesi, M., 2016. Cool: The Signs and Meanings of Adolescence. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. https://doi.org/10.3138/9781442673472.
Ess, C. and the AoIR Ethics Working Committee, 2002. Ethical Decision-Making and Internet Research: Recommendations from the AoIR Ethics Working Committee. Association of Internet Researchers. Available at: <https://aoir.org/ethics/?utm> [Accessed 30 April 2026].
Fludernik, M., 2000. Genres, Text Types, or Discourse Modes? Narrative Modalities and Generic Categorization. Style, 34 (2), pp. 274–292. Available at: <https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5325/style.34.2.274>. [Accessed 2 June 2026].
Georgakopoulou, A., 2025. From “Being Real” to “Relatable Tales”: Formatted Authenticity and Stories in TikTok Short Form Videos. Narrative Works, 13 (2), pp. 11–34. https://doi.org/10.7202/1120141ar.
Ghosh, M., 2023. Female Instagram Elderly Influencers Countering the Ageing Narratives. Humanities and Social Sciences Communication, 10, art. 804. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02323-4.
Gran, A.-B., 2025. Performing Not-Not-Me in SoMe: A New Theatrical Typology of Self-Presentation Online. Social Media + Society, 11 (1). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051251315256.
grandma_droniak, 2021. Reply to ... TikTok. Available at: <https://www.tiktok.com/@grandma_droniak/video/6961117285448797446>. [Accessed 25 May 2025].
grandma_droniak, 2023. i could not say no to a first date because its been too long and im not getting any younger. TikTok. Available at: <https://www.tiktok.com/@grandma_droniak/video/7197847511887858986>. [Accessed 23 May 2025].
grandmagreat, 2023. Dont forget! TikTok. Available at: <https://www.tiktok.com/@grandmagreat/video/7257612264151321899>. [Accessed 23 May 2025].
Hemsley, J., Mason, R. M., 2013. Knowledge and Knowledge Management in the Social Media Age. Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, 23 (1–2), pp. 138–167. https://doi.org/10.1080/10919392.2013.748614.
Hiippala, T., 2014. Multimodal Genre Analysis. In: Interactions, Images and Texts: A Reader in Multimodality. Eds. S. Norris, C.D. Maier. Amsterdam: De Gruyter, pp. 111–123. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781614511175.111.
Hobsbawm, J., 2023. Meet the Queenagers: The New Category of Worker in Your Office That’s Long Been There. Financial Post [online]. Available at: <https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/meet-the-queenagers-the-new-category-of-worker-in-your-office-thats-long-been-there> [Accessed 22 September 2025].
Hummert, M. L., Shaner, J. L., Garstka, T. A. and Henry, C., 1998. Communication with Older Adults: The Influence of Age Stereotypes, Context, and Communicator Age. Human Communication Research, 25 (1), pp. 124–151. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.1998.tb00439.x
Jones, R., 2023. Discourse Analysis and Social Media. In: The Routledge Handbook of Discourse Analysis. Eds. M. Handford, J. P. Gee. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 427–440. http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003035244.
Kim, E., McDonald-Liu, C., 2023. Influencers with #NoFilter: How Micro-Celebrities Use Self-Branding Practices on Instagram. Computers in Human Behavior, 148, art. 107892. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107892.
Kol, O., Zimand-Sheiner, D. and Levy, S., 2026. Crafting Influence in Social Media Advertising: How Creative Appeals and Message Strategies Shape Consumer Behavior. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 21 (1), pp. 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer21010003.
Kress, G., Bezemer, J., 2023. Multimodal Discourse Analysis. In: The Routledge Handbook of Discourse Analysis. Eds. M. Handford, J. P. Gee. London: Routledge, pp. 139–155. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003035244-12.
Kress, G., van Leeuwen, T., 2001. Multimodal Discourse: The Modes and Media of Contemporary Communication. London: Hodder Education.
Lee, J., Umback, J., 2026. The Viral Turn: Rethinking Virality in the Creator Economy on TikTok. Continuum, 40 (2), pp. 319–344. https://doi.org/10.1080/10304312.2026.2625794.
Light, B., Burgess, J. and Duguay, S., 2018. The Walkthrough Method: An Approach to the Study of Apps. New Media & Society, 20 (3), pp. 881–900. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816675438.
mariadumal, 2024. Iak klasno koly je vnuky, iaki zavzhdy vezut meni najkrashche! [Great to have grandchildren who always bring me the best!] TikTok. Available at: <https://www.tiktok.com/@mariadumal/video/7400339923473059077>. [Accessed 23 May 2025].
Marwick, A. E., 2015. You May Know Me from YouTube: (Micro‐)Celebrity in Social Media. In: A Companion to Celebrity. Eds. P. D. Marshall, S. Redmond. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 333–350. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118475089.ch18.
Matlach, P.-C., Castillo, A., Drath, C., Hevesi, E. F., 2025. Recommending Hate: How TikTok’s Search Engine Algorithms Reproduce Societal Bias. Available at: <https://www.isdglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/How-TikToks-Search-Engine-Algorithms-Reproduce-Societal-Bias.pdf>. [Accessed 6 May 2025].
Moriarty, S. E., 2002. The Symbiotics of Semiotics and Visual Communication. Journal of Visual Literacy, 22 (1), pp. 19–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/23796529.2002.11674579.
Mueller-Bryson, S., Shi, H., Ahn, R. J. and Zhao, X., 2026. From Granny to Granfluencer: How Older Influencers Are Challenging Age-Related Stereotypes via Fashion Portrayals and Affecting Consumer Responses through Social Media. International Journal of Advertising, pp. 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2026.2665004.
Ng, R., Indran, N., 2023. Granfluencers on TikTok: Factors linked to positive self-portrayals of older adults on social media. PLOS ONE, 18 (2), art. e0280281. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280281.
ourphilipinograndma, 2021. Reply to... TikTok. Available at: <https://www.tiktok.com/@ourfilipinograndma/video/7027203097583684870>. [Accessed 23 May 2025].
Patton, M. Q., 2002. Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Payne, G., 2025. How to Be a Cool Grandpa. More than Grand [online]. Available at: <https://www.morethangrand.com/blog/how-to-be-a-cool-grandpa> [Accessed 17 April 2026].
Pountain, D., Robins, D., 2000. Cool Rules: Anatomy of an Attitude. London: Reaktion Books.
Roubal, O., 2023. Older People and the Construction of Virtual Identities in the Digital Culture. OBM Geriatrics, 7 (2), art. 235. https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.geriatr.2302235.
Ruscher, J. B., Hurley, M. M., 2000. Off-Target Verbosity Evokes Negative Stereotypes of Older Adults. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 19 (1), pp. 141–149. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X00019001007.
Saeed, M. R., Cohen, J., Yousaf, N., Sands, S., 2026. Granfluencers and the Power of Positive Ageing in Tourism Marketing. Tourism Management, vol. 115, art. 105397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2026.105397.
sassygran, 2020. #sassygran. TikTok. Available at: <https://www.tiktok.com/@sassygran/video/7021561369560354054>. [Accessed 23 May 2025].
sassygran, 2025. Those eyes and brows for a lifetime. TikTok. Available at: <https://www.tiktok.com/@sassygran/video/7483546009629445419>. [Accessed 23 May 2025].
Sawchuk, D., 2009. The Raging Grannies: Defying Stereotypes and Embracing Aging Through Activism. Journal of Women Aging, 21 (3), pp. 171–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/08952840903054898.
shifferdiane, 2023a. If you are having a difficult time... TikTok. Available at: <https://www.tiktok.com/@shifferdiane/video/7225562215070420266>. [Accessed 23 May 2025].
Sicart, M., 2017. Play Matters. Cambridge/London: The MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/10042.001.0001
Stončikaitė, I., 2024. Later-Life Creativity and Successful Aging in Neoliberal Agendas. The Gerontologist, 65 (1), art. gnae125. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnae125.
Sun, Y. Y., Li, T., 2025. When a Bright Future is in Mind: Young Adults’ Positive Views on Aging Contribute to Resilience through Enhanced Sense of Control. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 8, pp. 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbeha.2024.100166.
thegrannychainz, 2020. Granny makes Chinese pizza... TikTok. Available at: <https://www.tiktok.com/@thegrannychainz/video/6832619011205844230>. [Accessed 23 May 2025].
Topictree, 2025. How does TikTok Rank Tracking Work? topictree. Available at: <https://www.topictree.com/blog/how-does-tiktok-rank-tracking-work>. [Accessed 23 July 2026].
voizaurademari, 2023. Quando acordei hoje de manha... TikTok. Available at: <https://www.tiktok.com/@voizaurademari/video/7289086089061534982>. [Accessed 23 May 2025].
Wang, Y., Lin, H., 2025. Beyond Age Marginalization: Understanding the Success of Older Influencers on Douyin. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 0 (0), pp. 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565251403061.
Wiggins, B. E., 2020. The Discursive Power of Memes in Digital Culture: Ideology, Semiotics, and Intertextuality. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429492303.
Xu, H., Weninger, C., Chen, D.-T. V., 2025. Microcelebrities’ Identity Construction on Social Media: A Systematic Review and Synthesis. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 28 (2), pp. 493–518. https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494241246077.
Xu, W., 2021. Ageism in the Media: Online Representations of Older People. Linköping: Linköping University.
Yan, Z., Alsagoff, S. A., Yasin, M. A. I., 2024. Self-presentation of Elderly Internet Celebrity on Douyin in China. Studies in Media and Communication, 12 (2), pp. 387–395. https://doi.org/10.11114/smc.v12i2.6388.
Šis darbas apsaugotas Creative Commons priskyrimo 4.0 viešąja licencija.