Unvarnished Truths: How Creativity Can Shift Perceptions of Dementia

In the fight against dementia, creativity is emerging as a vital tool for change. By combining bold storytelling with genuine compassion, Alzheimer’s Society and New Commercial Arts (NCA) are tackling stigma, driving awareness, and inspiring action in the face of one of the UK’s greatest health challenges.

The partnership, which began in 2021 with the Alzheimer’s Society brand refresh, has since delivered impactful campaigns that aim to bring the devastating reality of dementia to the forefront of public consciousness. From 'It’s Not Called Getting Old, It’s Called Getting Ill' to 'The Ultimate Vow' and the latest campaign, 'The Long Goodbye,' each effort has tackled the stigma surrounding dementia while driving engagement and support.

'The Long Goodbye' first aired in March and sparked debate over its raw and emotional portrayal of dementia. The campaign faced criticism, with some accusing it of being excessively distressing, offensive, and irresponsible.

The campaign prompted 235 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), covering three TV ads and one radio spot. While the ASA recognised that the ads might upset audiences, the emotional weight was necessary to convey its vital message.

Dementia is complex and in March, Kate Lee, Alzheimer’s Society CEO, said: “Our new advert ‘The Long Goodbye’ tells the unvarnished truth about the devastation caused by dementia. It’s not an easy watch but it’s an important one.”

And so, NCA and the Alzheimer’s Society decided to air the controversial advert again for a second time.

Telling Unvarnished Truths

At the heart of these campaigns lies a commitment to authenticity. As Alex Hyde-Smith, CMO at Alzheimer’s Society, explains, “We have to be brave in showing just how devastating dementia is by telling stories like ‘The Long Goodbye.’” The campaign portrays the profound emotional impact of dementia on individuals and families.

Inspired by real stories shared by people affected by dementia, The Long Goodbye presents a heartfelt eulogy reflecting the gradual and painful loss experienced as the disease progresses. This approach, while emotionally challenging, ensures the message resonates deeply with audiences.

According to NCA creative Jules Middleton, the idea for a eulogy came about as a celebration of a person, remembering the qualities that made them, them. "This was something I struggled with when caring for my dad. In those moments of him not knowing my name, staring blankly at the TV, or as he declined physically, it was torture to try and remember how he was ‘before’."

At each stage, as Middleton's father lost aspects of his personality and independence, the grief resurfaced repeatedly. This experience led to the crystallisation of the campaign’s tagline, which Middleton saw as the simplest way to explain dementia to someone unfamiliar with it; "It doesn’t just make the person forget; it makes you want to as well."

The decision to air the campaign a second time was driven by its success in fostering meaningful connections. Feedback from the campaign’s initial run highlighted its authenticity, with many viewers expressing gratitude for seeing their own experiences represented.

Creative Collaboration Built On Trust

The success of the campaigns is rooted in the trust and collaboration between Alzheimer’s Society and NCA. For Middleton, whose personal connection to dementia has influenced her work, this trust has allowed for bold storytelling.

“The feelings of grief, love, sadness, relief, and celebration depicted in ‘The Long Goodbye’ mirror what my family experienced during my dad’s seven-year decline with dementia,” shared Middleton. This emotional truth, combined with real-life stories gathered during development, ensures the campaigns resonate with authenticity.

NCA’s role in supporting Alzheimer’s Society goes beyond just raising awareness—it’s also about helping to build the brand in a way that primes audiences for donations and future campaigns. Another example of this partnership in action is the ‘Nobody Asks’ legacy campaign, which ran alongside ‘The Ultimate Vow’ in 2023. The fundraising effort far exceeded its targets, proving the power of combining creative campaigns with the Society’s focused fundraising strategies.

This commitment to authenticity and impact extends beyond the screen, shaping the Society’s approach to engaging with communities directly. Campaigns like the “The Hidden Conversations of Dementia” Blackpool takeover demonstrate how Alzheimer’s Society tailors its messaging to specific communities. Bespoke outdoor advertising shone a light on the one in three people living with dementia without a diagnosis, highlighting the importance of prioritising diagnosis and treatment locally.

"We chose Blackpool for a few reasons," explains Middleton. "For a start, it is one of the most iconic, recognisable and nostalgic towns in the UK with a lot of changing history and developments that would be confusing for someone living with dementia. It was also to challenge us, as there were around 80 media sites available."

During the research and creation of tailored content for each site, the team felt that the target was within reach. However, if cities like Manchester or Edinburgh were interested, Middleton knew the team could easily scale up to write thousands.

Driving Awareness And Action

The Long Goodbye sparked widespread media conversation, from thought pieces in The Guardian and The Times to discussions on Radio 4 and LBC. It also achieved Alzheimer’s Society’s highest-ever public awareness levels and a 115 per cent increase in web donations, despite not being a fundraising campaign.

For Alzheimer’s Society, this work is not just about raising awareness but about driving meaningful action.

Hyde-Smith emphasised the urgency: "From Alzheimer’s Society’s point of view, dementia is the biggest health and social care crisis of our time. It’s the UK’s biggest killer, but only 10 per cent of people know that.

"This chronic low awareness and understanding has led to a lack of relevancy, urgency and sense of injustice felt about the devastation dementia causes. The public believes that there’s little hope and doesn’t understand that together we could transform the dementia experience."

The Role Of Creativity In Social Change

The partnership’s ability to balance hard-hitting truths with compassion underscores the power of creativity in addressing social challenges.

As Middleton reflects, “We will always be truthful in our presentation of dementia, but we acknowledge that the truth of the experience varies for the around one million people in the UK living with dementia.

"In response to The Long Goodbye, some people did find the advert upsetting or feel that this reality of dementia didn't resonate with them, but there were just as many people — if not more — fiercely defending it or saying they had never had an advert speak so truthfully to them."

Ultimately, for Alzheimer's Society, it's essential to highlight the devastating impact of this disease, which destroys lives. If it continues to be portrayed as manageable, the charity questions whether any progress will be made.

From powerful on-screen narratives to community-focused activations, Alzheimer’s Society and NCA are not only raising awareness of dementia but also inspiring hope. Through campaigns like The Long Goodbye, they are proving that creativity has the power to make the invisible visible—and to mobilise a nation in the fight against dementia.