Alzheimer's Society UK Brings Dementia Confusion To Life

This Dementia Action Week, Alzheimer’s Society is taking a bold and innovative approach to raise awareness of dementia by launching a series of ads that don’t just talk about the symptoms, they embody them.

Made by New Commercial Arts, each ad has been carefully crafted to reflect one of the most common symptoms of dementia, bringing to life the confusion, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, language problems, misunderstanding of what is being seen, and mood swings experienced by those living with the condition.

The campaign will see one ad released each day of Dementia Action Week, with each ad behaving like the very symptom it represents. For example, an ad for confusion about time and place might appear as though it has been mistakenly placed in the wrong section of a newspaper, directly reflecting the disorientation experienced by those with dementia. 

Living with Dementia can feel like the world has turned upside down, like being lost in a familiar place or struggling to finish a sentence you’ve started. This campaign takes these experiences and make them impossible to ignore, turning each ad is a window into the reality of living with dementia and how it can distort perception, disorient the mind, and impact daily life.

By placing the public in the experience of dementia, Alzheimer’s Society aims to drive greater understanding, encourage early diagnosis, and connect more people with the support they need.

Alex Hyde-Smith, Chief Marketing Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Around one million people live with dementia in the UK, a third of whom do not have a diagnosis, leaving many facing the devastating realities of dementia without access to the vital care, support and treatment that a diagnosis can bring.  
“With the number of people living with dementia set to rise to 1.4million by 2040, this support has never been more urgent and will allow thousands to spend more precious time with their loved ones. We want to see a world where dementia no longer devastates lives and this partnership takes us one step closer to making this a reality”.  

Jess Pacey and Alicia Job, Creatives at New Commercial Arts said: “It’s always a pleasure to work on such a meaningful campaign. The week takeover was an amazing opportunity to disrupt and bring the symptoms of dementia to the headlines themselves”

Media was handled by Medialab.