Sneak preview of our new TV advert

HarrietD

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Apr 29, 2014
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For the first time ever, Alzheimer's Society is running an advertising campaign to make people more aware of the Society and how we can support people affected by dementia.

Our research shows us that many people still believe that dementia is a normal part of getting old and the main symptom is loss of memory. However, the TV ad featuring a typical family sitting down to a Sunday lunch shows how isolating it can be for someone with dementia, even as part of a warm and loving family.

You can watch a sneak preview of the advert here before it airs at 8.15pm tonight:

[video=youtube;DFOJHXtID7k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFOJHXtID7k[/video]

What do you think?

We'd love to hear your feedback on the advert :) Please feel free to leave us a comment below, and let us know what you think.

>Read more about Dementia Awareness Week here<
 
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Quilty

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Aug 28, 2014
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Really good advert. I like the contrast of the noise to the silence and how true it is. I hope it helps reach those who need it. This forum has saved my sanity and i am not joking.
 

Tin

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May 18, 2014
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Thought it was too 'soft' Those that know about dementia understand the premise, but its not 'those' that you are trying to reach. Here's what my 23 year old neighbour said about it, "that's like my granddad, his memory is bad, sometimes he forgets he's in my house" With all the confusion and lack of understanding out there I don't think it will make much of an impact.
 

lexy

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Nov 24, 2013
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I think it is a start, but if anymore are filmed I think they should be perhaps a bit more "hard hitting" like showing some of the more unpleasant behaviour of dementia and a family all smiling and looking happy is not usually the case.

It is difficult to strike the right balance with this illness when trying to portray it on TV because dementia is not a "one size fits all" type of illness..
 
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CynthsDaugh

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May 5, 2015
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Pleased that the Society are endevouring to highten awareness of dementia. Re making it more 'hard hitting' or saying it's 'too soft' - my Mum (80yr old with early mixed dementia) saw this last night. I only caught the end as I was out of the room, but Mum was very quiet and rather upset ('how will I end up?) until I distracted her with something else. If it had been more hard hitting I think she would have been much more upset and possibly not forgotten it so easily.
 

2jays

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Jun 4, 2010
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How about same/similar film - start of film "mother" talks about family gathering to "father" he keeps asking when they are coming, "mother" still cheerful and answering.

Same senario at table, talking going on around "father, but "father" asking " mother" when am I going home. the table empties of people, each person leaving giving sympathetic looks to "mother", "father" keeps asking to go home, the table becomes empty and the "mother" is left sitting there crying and "father" is still asking to go home

Wide shot to show it is his home


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Beate

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May 21, 2014
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There is also a radio advert that I hear a lot right now, about a woman getting diagnosed and her daughter taking her on holiday to Africa.
 

Moonflower

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Mar 28, 2012
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I think it plays to the stereotypical view of dementia, that the person just becomes a bit confused and forgetful
If what is portrayed was the true picture, many more families could cope with keeping a sufferer at home
Much too soft in my opinion
 

jaymor

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Jul 14, 2006
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I hated programmes depicting dementia in the later stages, usually a news item, because my husband had capacity, knew he had dementia and became really anxious and distressed seeing what was ahead of him. I would, for him rather he reach that stage in complete ignorance. I believe these incidents lead to the torment he endured before loosing capacity to understand . If we are to have it told as it is then for me it is better in leaflets and information packs.
 

Moonflower

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Mar 28, 2012
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I think that's a very valid point and I'm sure the Society don't want to distress sufferers

But in that case better I think not to put these adverts out at all than to portray a "dementia-lite" version which anybody reading here can see is not what carers are coping with at all.
 

Tears Falling

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Jul 8, 2013
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I actually thought it was quite powerful. I saw the gentleman was surrounded by family and that they were trying to ensure he was included (child showing pic on phone). I liked how the silence crept in, which I interpreted to show how isolated the gentleman felt. I think having info on support for families should be key
 

lexy

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Nov 24, 2013
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I think it plays to the stereotypical view of dementia, that the person just becomes a bit confused and forgetful
If what is portrayed was the true picture, many more families could cope with keeping a sufferer at home
Much too soft in my opinion



I agree with you Moonflower, now that I have seen my mum's dementia from start to finish I only wish I was as wise at the beginning of this illness as I am now. Although the ad is making people aware it certainly does not portray what I and my mum went through in our six to seven years with this illness. If I had known more about dementia and had more knowledge and understanding of it I would have coped with it differently. I speak as someone who was my mum's main 24/7 carer.

I did not have time to "study" the illness, either online or in leaflets, I was too busy caring for a very challenging, non-compliant mum and living "two" lives.
 

Beate

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May 21, 2014
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The aim of the advert is to demonstrate that a dementia diagnosis is not the end. You can live well with dementia and the Alzheimer's Society wants to help people do that. Not everyone goes through aggression, violence and hallucinations so there is no reason showing it as a given. Honestly, which cancer ad shows the horrible truth of people being sick from chemo for example? You have to be realistic and consider what will make people care and what won't, and I wouldn't want dementia patients being portrayed as severely disturbed individuals. Many are perfectly sweet and happy - I meet a lot of them at the AS coffee clubs.
 

lexy

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Nov 24, 2013
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The aim of the advert is to demonstrate that a dementia diagnosis is not the end. You can live well with dementia and the Alzheimer's Society wants to help people do that. Not everyone goes through aggression, violence and hallucinations so there is no reason showing it as a given. Honestly, which cancer ad shows the horrible truth of people being sick from chemo for example? You have to be realistic and consider what will make people care and what won't, and I wouldn't want dementia patients being portrayed as severely disturbed individuals. Many are perfectly sweet and happy - I meet a lot of them at the AS coffee clubs.



If that is all the advert wants to do that's fine. Some people with dementia may be "perfectly sweet and happy" in the early stages of dementia and still be able to live a reasonable life, but I don't think this is the case for many people as the illness takes hold of someone as many posts on here tell a different story. I don't think many people would want to see the full horror of dementia anyway because nobody ever thinks it is going to happen to them or one of their relatives.
 
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Optomistic

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Jul 24, 2014
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It very good shows you how the person feels amongst the family left out and confused. My husband has early Alzheimers and i see him like this a lot even though i try and include him in everything. His speech is affected quite bad and he is deaf so this doesnt help. They feel isolated.
 

Ann Mac

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Oct 17, 2013
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I heard the 'We went to Africa anyway' ad several times yesterday, on the radio - it left me absolutely fuming, to be honest. I felt it almost trivialised the illness, brushing aside a diagnosis with an implication that you can just 'carry on as normal'. 'Raising awareness' means giving accurate information and dispelling myths. It really isn't accurate to imply that a dementia diagnosis allows you to continue with plans and your lifestyle with no change necessary, is it? That may be true, in the early stages, for some - but not in the later stages, and not for all of us. So the reality and the very real issues that so many face are being played down and dismissed by that ad. And dispelling the myth that dementia is 'a normal part of getting old and the main symptom is loss of memory' - Well, by not being honest it does nothing to change that viewpoint, does it?

My 14 year old daughter, after hearing it, said 'Well - that lady's Mum must have a different sort of dementia to what Nana has!' - out of the mouths of babes?


The TV ad was better, in that I felt it tackled the issue of isolation sensitively and well - but it was blown at the end by the implication that tackling and helping with isolation is as easy as holding someones hand.

I so understand that portraying dementia explicitly may well cause people to switch off and shy away. I also think that its a massively valid point that for someone who has the illness to see it portrayed at its worse would be horrifying - but surely, there is a middle ground? Because until people REALLY understand, there won't be the funding, there won't be the support and there won't be the help that is really needed.
 

lexy

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Nov 24, 2013
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Someone said on this thread you can live well with dementia, not strictly correct, you may have a better chance of living well with this illness if you have no other physical problems and it is only the onset of the illness.

My mum could not have lived well with this illness, she was poorly before dementia came along and was not mobile, had anaemia, suffered renal failure and had ankylosing spondylitis. I am sure if my mum had not had poor physical health she would have lived a much better life even with dementia as she had a strong character and was quite determined.

I don't know what the best way to portray dementia is without upsetting someone but as has been said there must be a middle ground. Everyone with dementia is different and has different problems. Sometime ago I watched a programme about an elderly lady who had dementia, she was physically fit and mobile and was driving her relatives right round the bend because she was living like a rebellious teenager, they filmed her telling her relative to "p--s off she was off to the Palais for a dance. They showed her having lots of fun, laughing and dancing and enjoying herself in her world. I remember feeling envious and wishing my mum could have been more active.
 
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Jessbow

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Mar 1, 2013
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I saw the ad last night, and wsn't aware ( until the end) that it was to do with dementia. with hindsight,( and seeing ita second time yes I can see that it was.

As I watched it the first time, I kept thinking it was about stroke /heart attack awareness! I thought he was going to have a stroke and they were not noticing the signs.
 

Chaucer 1931

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Mar 30, 2014
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I think the advert wasn't hard hitting enough,yes,I appreciate that the AS wants to portray that they are ready to support people with dementia and also the isolation that sufferers feel,but the advert didn't clarify the impact of dementia,which again just goes back to people thinking it's a simple case of being forgetful and simply holding another's hand and all will be better,in reality it isn't!

AS you should and could have portrayed dementia as it is,it is a disturbing disease and is devastating to all who's lives have been involved with the diagnosis of a loved one,I think you have failed in raising Dementia Awareness in the adverts you had made,perhaps next time you would post on the forum asking us carers and sufferers what we would like the advert/campaign to include as we are the ones who truly know how dementia destroys lives.

I don't think you can live well with dementia,obviously otherwise there wouldn't be need for a forum like this would there!?




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